Stuart MacGill’s bail conditions relaxed to let him drink and talk to best friend

Ex-cricketer Stuart MacGill has had his bail conditions amended to allow him emotional support in the wake of his alleged kidnapping ordeal.

Former test cricketer Stuart MacGill has had his bail conditions amended to allow him to drink alcohol, get intoxicated and meet with a friend who has been providing him with emotional support during his alleged kidnapping ordeal.

Magistrate Daniel Covington also amended another of MacGill’s bail conditions in The Downing Centre Local Court on Friday to be that he was banned him from entering The Rocks or Millers Point, rather than being excluded from a 2km radius around Town Hall.

MacGill appeared in court on Friday charged with one count of intimidation and using offensive language in a public place.

Stuart MacGill outside his home on Friday.

MacGill on Friday.

The former cricketing great entered pleas of not guilty to the charges last month.

The charges stem from an alleged incident on February 1 at Millers Point where police claim MacGill and his friend Stephen Kerlin, 54, verbally abused bar owner Samantha Ford outside a residence on Kent St about 6pm.

A short time later, police allege the pair approached the woman at a licensed premises on the same street and continued to verbally abuse her.

Kerlin was charged with intimidation, common assault and contravene restriction in AVO.

The court heard on Friday that MacGill had been subjected to bail conditions under NSW’s liquor laws that prevented him from drinking at all.

“He can’t go to anywhere that serves liquor after midnight and has a capacity of more than 120 people,” MacGil’s lawyer Joseph Correy told the court.

MacGill is a well known wine expert who has worked in the alcohol industry for many years, the court heard.

Mr Correy also told the court that MacGill currently had a “limited support network” and that Mr Kerlin was the cricketer’s “best friend” and had been supporting him through an alleged incident where MacGill was kidnapped over a failed 2kg cocaine deal in April 2021.

But the bail conditions banned the two from associating.

“He would like to be able to speak to his friend and have the support of his friend in a period of his life when he needs it most,” Mr Correy told the court.

“He would like to be able to speak to his friend and have the support of his friend rather than have a key member of his support network ripped away … and he is not through this yet,” Mr Correy said.

Mr Correy also told the court MacGill was suffering “trauma” and was the key witness in the case, which was an “ongoing stressor”.

The police prosecutor opposed MacGill being able to associate with Mr Kerlin and drink alcohol because of the nature of the charges and to protect the complainant.

But Magistrate Covington said MacGill’s mostly clean record — except for a mid-range drink-driving offence — weighed in his favour.

He removed the bail conditions that prevented the former cricketer from drinking or being intoxicated or associating with Mr Kerlin.

The bail condition banning MacGill from coming within 2km of Town Hall was replaced by a condition banning him from The Rocks or Millers Point area.

The court was played CCTV footage of the alleged altercation where Ms Ford entered the pub holding a dog and could be seen interacting with MacGill, who was on his phone.

Ms Ford is then approached by Mr Kerlin before MacGill walks to the bar while still on his phone.

“It’s a brief interaction,” Mr Correy told the court.

MacGill played 44 test matches for Australia between 1998 and 2006.

MacGill is regarded as being one of Australia’s best ever leg spin bowlers and had the unfortunate luck of playing the same era as the late Shane Warne.

He was the quickest spin bowler to take 150 Test wickets in terms of the number of deliveries bowled. He reached the mark with 8312 deliveries.

Kerlin is charged with intimidation, common assault and contravening an AVO.

MacGill will return to the Downing Centre Local Court on March 30.