Australian ex-cricketer MacGill found guilty of cocaine supply charge

Former Australian Test cricketer Stuart MacGill was on Thursday found guilty in a Sydney court of taking part in the supply of cocaine.

The 54-year-old MacGill, a leg-spin bowler who played 44 test matches for Australia and took 208 wickets, was cleared by a jury of knowingly taking part in the supply of a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug but found guilty of participating in the supply of a prohibited drug.

MacGill, who pleaded not guilty, is expected to return to court on May 9 to be sentenced.
The charge related to an April 2021 introduction MacGill made between a cocaine dealer and another person.

A jury in the New South Wales District Court on Thursday heard that while MacGill’s involvement was limited to the introduction, the dealer also took part in two other alleged supplies.

Australian Associated Press reported that the jury heard the illicit exchange of 330,000 Australian dollars ($210,000) for a kilogram of cocaine was struck between a dealer, identified in court only as ‘Person A,’ and Marino Sotiropoulos, the brother of MacGill’s partner.

The jury heard the ex-cricketer was a regular user of cocaine and bought the drug from the dealer for several years.

The former cricket star made headlines in 2021 when he was allegedly kidnapped, assaulted and threatened with a gun before being released. New South Wales state police arrested and charged four men in relation to the incident and interviewed MacGill extensively at the time.

MacGill's international career from 1988 to 2008 was largely overshadowed by fellow Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne, who is second on the list of all-time leading wicket takers in test cricket.

Associated Press / AFP