Phoenix buggy joyride leads to arrest
FOOTBALL: An A-League football club is in disgrace after two players broke their coronavirus quarantine, took a golf buggy and allegedly drove shirtless on a busy Sydney road while drunk.
Wellington Phoenix and New Zealand international Tim Payne was arrested by NSW Police while joy-riding in the buggy at 1am on Tuesday on Wakehurst Parkway on Sydney’s northern beaches.
Payne blew mid-range PCA and was taken back to Mona Vale Police Station. He is due to front court in Sydney in June. Teammate Oliver Sail was also in the golf buggy but wasn’t arrested. Wellington was based at the Sydney Academy of Sport, Narrabeen, while in self isolation to play ALeague games.
The pair is alleged to have taken the golf buggy from the Academy.
The competition has now been suspended with Phoenix players returning home to New Zealand on Tuesday.
Concerned car passengers who drove past the pair immediately rang and complained to Police before a patrol car spotted the pair minutes later near Oxford Falls Road, about five kilometres from the Academy.
Passengers who contacted Sydney’s Daily Telegraph claimed the players were shirtless with Paine driving.
Phoenix officials are furious the two players broke quarantine at such a sensitive time surrounding coronavirus. The team was in a two-week lock down so the A-League competition could continue.
Sail, the 24-year-old Phoenix goalkeeper, is also New Zealand national representative.
Academy management was considering further action against the pair for taking off in the golf buggy.