Cricket legend Stuart MacGill spent years buying cocaine before playing a role in a huge drug deal, court hears

Former Test spin bowler Stuart MacGill is facing a jury trial over his alleged role in a major cocaine deal that led to him later being kidnapped and beaten.

The 53-year-old appeared at Sydney’s Downing Centre District Court on Tuesday after he pleaded not guilty to one count of taking part in the supply of a prohibited drug.

MacGill is alleged to have facilitated the supply of one kilogram of cocaine in the suburb of Neutral Bay, on Sydney’s lower north shore, on or around April 8, 2021.

Crown prosecutor Gabrielle Steedman told the jury MacGill was a regular cocaine user at the time of the incident and would often buy the drug from an associate, who could only be referred to as ‘Person A’ during the trial.

The former sportsman allegedly introduced Person A to his brother-in-law, Marino Sotiropoulos, for the purpose of supplying the drug dealer with a kilogram of cocaine for $330,000.

MacGill had been in a defacto relationship with Sotiropoulos’s sister, Maria O’Meagher, with whom the ex-cricketer ran the Aristotle’s restaurant in Neutral Bay, the jury was told.

MacGill (pictured playing for Australia against England in 2002) had a very good relationship with a cocaine dealer who allowed him to rack up drug debts, a court has been told

MacGill had allegedly been buying cocaine from Person A for several years, usually in half-gram quantities for $200.

There was a trusted relationship between the pair and MacGill was allowed to rack up drug debts of around $1000, the court was told.

On one occasion, he allegedly complained about the quality of the cocaine Person A was selling him and said his brother-in-law could get better drugs in a large quantity.

Ms Steedman told the jury the charge against MacGill only related to him setting up a meeting between the pair for the cocaine to be exchanged.

‘The accused facilitated the meeting so that Person A could be supplied with cocaine,’ she said.

Following the initial deal, Person A allegedly decided to set up another in which he would rip off the suppliers by using a fake bundle of cash.

But once it became apparent they had been ripped off, the suppliers allegedly targeted MacGill in their search for Person A.

There was no dispute MacGill was kidnapped by several men on 14 April, 2021, and driven to a remote location, where he was stripped and beaten, the jury heard.

MacGill (pictured right with cricket legend Shane Warne in 2005) was kidnapped by several men in April 2021 when the alleged drug deal turned sour

The 53-year-old (pictured last year) allegedly complained about the quality of the cocaine he’d spent years buying

He was released after several hours and six days later he went to police to report being kidnapped, the court was told.

Defence barrister Thos Hodgson said MacGill maintained he simply introduced Person A and Sotiropoulos and had no further involvement in what occurred between them.

‘He had no knowledge whatsoever as to what the deal was going to be,’ he said.

Mr Hodgson added the case would hinge on the evidence of Person A and he asked the jury to carefully consider what they were told.

The trial continues.