‘Pirate’ arrest

By Shaun Inguanzo
PARKMORE Pirates football coach Paul Jeffries was this week arrested and charged with a series of firearm and armed robbery offences.
Mr Jeffries was arrested by the Glen Waverley Embona Task Force and remanded in police custody facing charges for firearm and armed robbery offences.
The sudden arrest of Mr Jeffries, 48, has sent shockwaves through the Parkmore Football Club, with team manager Mike Smyth in shock when Star contacted him for comments.
“Immediately I haven’t got anything to say,” he said.
“I am still in shock.”
Police issued search warrants on Mr Jeffries’ Loch Street home in Cranbourne on Tuesday morning.
Police said they uncovered an imitation pistol and .22 calibre rifle during the search.
Mr Jeffries has been charged with four armed robberies that occurred at retail outlets in Carnegie, Clayton, Springvale and Watsonia during December 2006.
He also faces separate firearms charges including possessing unregistered firearms, and possessing firearms without a licence.
Mr Jeffries has been remanded to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 13 February.
Mr Jeffries first made headlines last year when Keysborough Football Club sacked him as its coach.
“My heart is still with Keysborough Football Club. I have got some issues that I will bring out into the open at the right time and I will tell it how it is,” he told Star in September.
The Parkmore Pirates later signed the embattled Mr Jeffries as its coach for the 2007 season after the club’s former coach, Richard Houston, left unexpectedly to pursue another opportunity.
On Monday night Parkmore Pirates fans said coach Paul Jeffries was ‘full of enthusiasm’ at training.
News of the arrest is yet to filter through to club members, but Mr Smyth said the club would now work out a contingency plan, a move that is likely to include employing a new coach.
“We will definitely have to look at where the club is, and what we can do about it,” Mr Smyth said.
“We will work out a contingency plan, and if (the Jeffries arrest) is true, we’ll start down the path of those contingency plans.”
Keysborough Football Club coach Clay Cullen said he was surprised to learn of Mr Jeffries’ arrest.
“I’m just very surprised,” he said.