Former Test cricketer Stuart MacGill has been accused of facilitating the supply of $330,000 worth of cocaine in the carpark of his former restaurant before being kidnapped over a separate alleged drug deal gone wrong.
MacGill, 53, is on trial in the Downing Centre District Court after pleading not guilty to taking part in the large commercial supply of cocaine.
Former Australian spin bowler Stuart MacGill arrives at court for his trial. Credit: Kate Geraghty
In opening remarks on Tuesday, Crown prosecutor Gabrielle Steedman told the jury they would hear evidence MacGill was a recreational cocaine user over several years and that he regularly bought the drug off his dealer, known only in the trial as Person A.
Steedman said the evidence suggests MacGill and Person A became “close associates”, with Person A buying the ex-cricketer a bottle of bourbon and allowing him to rack up a $1000 drug debt.
Then, in April 2021, MacGill allegedly complained to Person A about the quality of cocaine he was buying, telling him that his “brother-in-law” Marino Sotiropoulos could get him “good gear”.
Sotiropoulos is the brother of MacGill’s then-girlfriend, Maria O’Meagher, who is not accused of wrongdoing.
The jury was told Person A asked MacGill the price of the cocaine and whether it was in “loose” powder or “solid” block form. After some back and forth, MacGill allegedly said it would be solid and would cost $330,000 for one kilogram of cocaine.
Steedman told the jury that on or about April 8, MacGill organised Person A and Sotiropoulos to meet.
She expected Person A would tell them he picked MacGill up from his home and they went to the underground carpark of Aristotle’s, a now-closed Greek restaurant in Neutral Bay that MacGill used to run with O’Meagher, where Sotiropoulos was waiting.
“The accused introduced them to one another. Person A had the $330,000 cash and was discussing with [Sotiropoulos] where they would exchange this with the drugs.”
Stuart MacGill in 2003 (left) and talking to former teammate and podcaster Shane Lee about his kidnapping ordeal.Credit: Pat Scala; Instagram @imatlunchwithlee
It was allegedly agreed the deal would take place in Ashfield and the two men left to drive there, where Person A exchanged the cash for a one-kilogram brick of cocaine. MacGill returned to the restaurant and did not go with them.
When Person A got home, he allegedly asked MacGill if he wanted his “present”, to which MacGill declined, and Person A agreed to wipe his $1000 drug debt.
The Crown alleged Person A and Sotiropoulos planned another deal together – another kilogram of cocaine for $330,000, which Sotiropoulos did not attend but helped organise.
Then came the alleged botched drug plot which led to MacGill’s kidnapping.
Steedman told the jury they would hear Person A made an agreement to buy two kilograms of cocaine for $660,000.
“At that time, Person A decided he was going to take the two bricks of cocaine and not pay for them,” she said.
“Instead of cash, this time Person A had A4 paper in a vacuum-sealed bag with $50 notes on the edges, to appear as if it was a block of money.”
She said Person A did the swap with what appeared to be the block of money and went home, deleting all relevant contacts from his phone, including MacGill’s.
Soon enough, there were allegedly demands for Person A to be found and made to compensate, with threats directed at MacGill.
The court heard that on April 14, 2021, MacGill was kidnapped by several males, who stole his mobile phone and drove him in the back of the car to an abandoned shed on a Bringelly farm.
MacGill was allegedly forced to strip naked, assaulted and kept against his will for several hours and asked for information and money. He told them he had no money and was let go, returning home in a taxi around midnight.
Steedman said MacGill did not report the kidnapping to police for six days. When he did, he allegedly told police he introduced Person A and Sotiropoulos but had nothing to do with any drug deal.
In his very brief opening remarks, MacGill’s barrister, Thos Hodgson, urged the jury to carefully consider Person A’s evidence.
“[My client] will say he had no knowledge whatsoever about what the deal was going to be and he simply introduced these people and got no benefit whatsoever from the introduction,” Hodgson said.
The trial continues before Judge John Pickering.
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