Ex-Tigers star Daniel Connors charged with firearm, drug offences

Former Richmond player Daniel Connors has been hit with a range of charges while police launch an appeal to speak to a witness after a pursuit.

Daniel Connors has been charged with firearm and drug offences.

Former Richmond footballer Daniel Connors has been charged with firearm and drug offences.

Detectives from the anti-organised crime Echo taskforce charged Connors this week as part of a wider investigation.

The gifted 34-year-old played for the Tigers between 2007 and 2012 before being sacked over off-field issues.

Connors appeared in the dock at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Friday morning, flanked by custody officers.

His court appearance came a day after he was charged with possess cocaine, possess a drug of dependence, possess a prohibited weapon without exemption, negligently deal with proceeds of crime, fail to comply with directions and driving unlicensed.

Specifics of the allegations against him were not aired in court.

He did not say anything during the brief administrative hearing, with his lawyer telling the court there would be no application for bail made at this stage.

Connors was remanded to return to court for a committal case conference on March 31.

Connors, arrested on Thursday by the special operations group at Geelong, was one of three men detained as part of a gang crime squad probe.

Members from the SOG and the VIPER Taskforce assisted in raids on addresses in Carlton, Port Melbourne, Yarraville, Cranbourne and Deer Park on Thursday and Friday.

Investigators have released CCTV of a witness they are hoping to contact as part of their inquiry into a pursuit at Moonee Ponds in which shots were allegedly fired.

A 24-year-old man from Deer Park was arrested on Friday this afternoon with the assistance of the SOG and will be interviewed by police.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said the investigation followed an incident just after 7.20am on December 24 in which a silver Volkswagen Passat was allegedly being pursued by a stolen white Toyota RAV4 through the Moonee Ponds, Essendon and Coburg areas.

Witnesses reported hearing gunshots.

The spokeswoman said the Volkswagen allegedly being pursued by the Toyota was captured on dashcam footage running a red light at the corner of Buckley St and Pascoe Vale Rd, Essendon.

It veered onto the wrong side of the road.

“It appears an occupant of the Toyota fires several shots in the direction of the Volkswagen, which was later located on 31 December with a shattered rear windscreen which police believe is gunshot damage.

On December 24, at 7.30am, the allegedly stolen Toyota was travelling at high speed on the wrong side of Bell St, Coburg.

Its driver allegedly disobeyed a red traffic signal and crashed head-on into another motorist and spun off into several other vehicles.

It is alleged Four men bolted from the car, heading south on Bruce St, Pascoe Vale.

A Cranbourne man, aged 23, was found alone soon after and arrested.

He was later charged with car theft and possessing ammunition.

A man who had been in one of the struck vehicles suffered minor injuries and was taken to hospital.

Police have appealed for any witnesses who saw the incident on the morning of December 24, including a man with two small dogs waiting at the Buckley St-Pascoe Vale Rd traffic lights when the shots are believed to have been fired.

Police said the RAV4 was allegedly stolen from Thornbury on November 19 or 20.

Anyone else who witnessed the incident or has information on the men involved can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au

Detective Acting Insp. Ash Ryan of the Echo taskforce said indiscriminate use of a firearm and dangerous driving in the presence of innocent civilians was concerning.

“We believe this was a targeted attack, but the danger it poses to the community is immense and we are lucky that other people were not seriously injured,” Insp. Ryan said.

“We are very keen to speak to anyone who witnessed any of the morning’s incidents – particularly the man at the traffic lights with his two dogs, who we believe might have seen the shooting unfold.

“I’d like to stress that there is nothing whatsoever to indicate this man was involved in the incident, he is a potential witness only.”

Insp. Ryan said police were committed to using every resource to get weapons out of criminals’ hands.

“If there are people out there with information about the incident who are yet to come forward, I’d again appeal to those people to contact police and as always, this can be done anonymously,” he said.

Connors was a raking left-foot kick with tremendous promise of a long AFL career.

Daniel Connors was dogged by persistent rumours about his off-field activities. Picture: Instagram

But he played nowhere near the number of games expected because of a combination of ill-discipline and a lack of professionalism.

Connors was dogged by persistent rumours about his off-field activities.

His sacking was said to have happened to protect Connors’ good friend Dustin Martin, amid concerns he would end up in trouble because of the association.

Martin is now a three-time premiership player, a triple Norm Smith Medallist and a Brownlow Medallist.

In 2016, Connors pleaded guilty to reckless conduct endangering serious injury and failing to leave a licensed premises.

That related to an incident at the Shamrock Hotel in Echuca which left a man with a severed tendon in his hand.

He smashed a beer glass on a table, causing the victim’s injuries before trying to punch him twice.

‘‘Connors then threatened to smash the victim in two, before threatening security and resisting their attempts to remove him from the venue,’’ police prosecutor Senior Constable Dave Rennie said.