Daniel Connors bailed after alleged involvement in violent Christmas Eve chaseShocking new claims have been aired in court on a former Richmond star’s alleged involvement in a dramatic car chase through Melbourne on Christmas Eve.
Hugo Timms
NCA NewsWire
January 18, 2023 - 6:37PMFormer AFL footballer and draft gun Daniel Connors has been released from prison to attend rehab, after his alleged involvement in a high-speed chase in which shots were fired from a stolen car in the inner suburbs of Melbourne.
The heavily-pregnant partner of Mr Connors shed tears throughout the lengthy bail application in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday, where Mr Connors’ parents also agreed to stump up $50,000 from their savings as a bail surety.
Police told the court Mr Connors, who played 29 games for Richmond from 2007 to 2012 after he was drafted with pick 58 in the 2006 national draft, attended an apartment in Drummond St, Carlton in the early hours of Christmas Eve armed with a gun in the presence of three other co-accused.
In a remand summary, police said Mr Connors lifted up his shirt, revealing a firearm tucked into his trousers while in the elevator at the apartment complex shortly before 2am.
Mr Connors faces seven charges, including stealing a Rav4 allegedly used in the chase from Thornbury days earlier, firearm offences and committing an indictable offence on bail.
The court heard Mr Connors was allegedly in the back passenger seat of the Rav4 as it pursued a silver Volkswagen from Footscray, through Moonee Ponds and Essendon, before crashing on Bell Street in Pascoe Vale about 7.30am, where the occupants allegedly fled the scene.
Police allege the Volkswagen was seen with a gunshot hole in its rear window while travelling at high speed on Holmes Road in Moonee Ponds, and was later found in Coburg with seven gunshot holes.
It is not alleged Mr Connors fired his gun at the Volkswagen.
Prosecutor Michael Roper said Mr Connors was in the presence of three younger men with “very serious” criminal records, and said police allege he assaulted one of the victims before the pursuit began in Footscray.
“He’s part of a common purpose,” Mr Roper said.
“He’s not just there for the ride,” he said.
Detective Senior Constable Joe Halloran, from Victoria Police’s Gang Crime Squad, told the court police had not deduced a motive for the incident, but told the court police suspected it was of a criminal nature.
Constable Halloran said the alleged offending was “extremely serious,” and told the court Mr Connors was “very lucky” it didn’t result in a serious injury or death.
The court heard at the time of the alleged offending, for which he was arrested on January 6 in Geelong, Mr Connors was on police bail for drug offences.
Mr Connors’ mother told the court the surety she and her husband had withdrawn from their savings was “not how they planned to spend their retirement.”
Defence barrister Sam Tovey told the court the prosecution case against Mr Connors had “serious issues,” and said his involvement in the “chaotic and dynamic” incident was not clear.
Mr Tovey said his client had shown an ability to live a “positive and productive life,” and added there were “people out there willing to back him”.
He said there was a possibility of a two-year wait before Mr Connors’ allegations were tried in the County Court.
Magistrate Belinda Franjic agreed the case against Mr Connors was not strong as it currently stood, and expressed concern over the delay in the testing of forensic evidence, which the court heard was anywhere between four to six months, and the amount of time before the matter could be tried.
Magistrate Franjic granted Mr Connors bail, which will be spent at Arrow Health’s rehab facility in Woodend, under strict conditions.
She ordered Mr Connors to surrender his passport, and said he would not be allowed to leave the rehab facility unless he was in the presence of a staff member.
Mr Connors will return to court on March 23.
https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/richmond/daniel-connors-bailed-after-alleged-involvement-in-violent-christmas-eve-chase/news-story/23875dd4bf3aeecb325dd2eded42b4cd
