Former Australian cricketer Stuart MacGill has been found guilty of being involved in a cocaine deal between his brother-in-law and a street dealer in Sydney. After an eight-day trial in the NSW District Court, the verdict was delivered on Thursday. This left the former Test leg-spinner with a legal setback.
Stuart MacGill’s international career coincided with that of Shane Warne, one of the greatest spinners in cricket history. MacGill played 44 Tests between 1998 and 2008, mostly when Warne was unavailable. The former cricketer finished his career with 208 wickets at an average of 29.02 and a strike rate of 54.02.
The 54-year-old is the fifth-highest wicket-taking spinner for Australia. Had he played in a different era, he likely would have played close to 100 Tests and taken over 400 wickets.
Stuart MacGill Found Guilty of Drug Supply Offense
MacGill has been acquitted of charges related to supplying a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug. However, a Sydney District Court jury found him guilty of the lesser charge of participating in the supply of a prohibited drug.
During the trial, the court was told that MacGill arranged and attended a meeting in April 2021 between his partner’s brother, Marino Sotiropoulos, and a street-level drug dealer, referred to as Person A, at his Neutral Bay restaurant.
However, the prosecution alleged that Person A, who had a regular relationship with Person A, and Sotiropoulos agreed to exchange $330,000 for one kilogram of cocaine. The Crown claimed that MacGill played a role in facilitating the transaction by bringing them together.
Never Saw Him with Drugs, and He Never Had Any Money – Stuart MacGill
During the trial, Stuart MacGill insisted he had no role in the drug deal, stating that he only introduced the two men to distance himself from Sotiropoulos. He claimed he was unaware of any exchange and was present only for a brief introduction. However, the jury found his explanation unconvincing.
The former Test cricketer admitted to regularly purchasing small amounts of cocaine but denied knowing that a larger deal was taking place. Prosecutors argued that the transaction could not have happened without his involvement.
While MacGill was acquitted of participating in the one-kilogram drug deal, he was found guilty of a lesser charge related to the supply of a prohibited substance. His sentencing hearing has been postponed for eight weeks.
Stuart MacGill to Face Sentencing Proceedings Later This Year
MacGill was allegedly kidnapped outside his home in Cremorne. In a statement to police, which was read in court, he described being taken to an abandoned house in Bringelly, on the outskirts of Sydney.
He claimed he was slapped, forced to strip naked, threatened with bolt cutters, and feared for his life. MacGill is set to face sentencing proceedings later this year.
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