Cricket great Stuart MacGill told cops woman ‘stalked him after arrest for intimidation

When former cricket great Stuart MacGill was charged with intimidation he told police he was the victim – of an “insane” and “disturbed” woman who wouldn’t leave him alone, a court has heard.

Former cricket great Stuart MacGill told police he was stalked by an “insane” woman for over a year despite being the one charged with intimidating her at a Sydney pub, a court has heard.

MacGill faced Downing Centre Local Court with his lawyer where he has pleaded not guilty to intimidating bar owner Samantha Ford.

The court heard MacGill and a friend, Stephen Kerlin, exchanged heated words with Ms Ford, who operates Argyle Bar, on a street in The Rocks in February 2022.

Police alleged in court that MacGill and Mr Kerlin confronted her again within the nearby Captain Cook Hotel minutes later.

They charged MacGill with intimidation later that month and he pleaded not guilty.

Former cricketer Stuart MacGill. Picture: Supplied

MacGill, in his recorded interview with police, repeatedly said he was the one “intimidated” and repeatedly followed by Ms Ford.

“I feel intimidated every time she is close to me,” MacGill told investigators in the footage played on Thursday.

“She’s followed us, she’s stalked us for over 12 months and I do think that she’s insane.”

MacGill said Ms Ford had followed him, and not the other way around, after she saw him on the street.

Sitting cross-armed in the Day Street Police Station interview room, MacGill told police he had reported Ms Ford before the Captain Cook Hotel clash, but nothing had been done.

On one occasion in mid-2021, he told investigators, Ms Ford sent a man to follow and photograph them from a van.

Stuart MacGill arrives at the Downing Centre local court on Thursday. Picture: Nikki Short

“We basically made a similar complaint to the one levelled against me today and nothing was done about it. As a consequence, I believe, this has escalated to the point we are at now,” MacGill told police.

“Despite being told to go away, Samantha Ford refuses to go away, refuses to leave people alone, she will follow them incessantly and intimidate without regard for anybody’s feelings.”

MacGill said he believed Ms Ford was “disturbed” and he could not understand why police had done nothing to deal with his complaint.

Prosecutors played footage of Ms Ford leaving the Argyle Bar with a parcel in hand and her tiny dog in tow.

CCTV footage appears to capture the blow up between MacGill, Mr Kerlin and Ms Ford as she walked into the pub minutes after the men, the court heard.

The footage is silent, but it appears to show Ms Ford clutching her dog, wearing large sunglasses, as MacGill signed in to the venue with a QR code.

MacGill alleged in court he was the victim during the incident. Picture: Supplied

MacGill and Mr Kerlin appear to be pointing and gesticulating close to her before a bar worker approaches the squabbling group.

MacGill takes a phone call and approaches the bar as Ms Ford and Mr Kerlin exit the pub, the footage appears to show.

The court heard that the cricketer was calling another police officer aware of the disputes with Ms Ford.

It’s expected bar staff and other pub patrons will give evidence in the case.

Four men were charged with allegedly kidnapping MacGill in early 2021 after the retired spinner was bundled into a car, bashed and dumped.

The courts have heard the kidnapping was over a failed cocaine deal that MacGill was not involved with or aware of.

That matter remains before the courts.