<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>340282</docID> <postdate>2025-03-13 16:52:59</postdate> <headline>Ex-Test spinner MacGill faces jail stint for coke deal</headline> <body><p><img class=" wp-image-340283" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20250311131753727289-original-1-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="1026" height="684" /></p> <caption>Stuart MacGill has been acquitted of knowingly taking part in a $330,000 cocaine deal. (Paul Braven/AAP PHOTOS)</caption> <p class="wire-column__preview__author"><span class="kicker-line">By <b>Luke Costin</b></span></p> <p><strong>Former Australian Test cricket star Stuart MacGill might still be jailed, but he has been spared a potential life sentence over his role in a $330,000 cocaine deal that led to his violent kidnapping.</strong></p> <p>The former legspinner, whose post-cricket life has been marred by regular cocaine use, was acquitted on Thursday of taking part in a large commercial drug supply that began under his restaurant in April 2021.</p> <p>But the Sydney District Court jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict to a lesser charge of drug supply.</p> <p>They found MacGill knew the cocaine deal between his regular dealer and his brother-in-law was taking place but was oblivious a one-kilogram brick was changing hands.</p> <p>MacGill, 54, showed little emotion as the verdicts were read.</p> <p>The man whose 44-Test career came in the shadow of cricketing great Shane Warne remained tight-lipped as he left court surrounded by cameras and reporters.</p> <p>The jury heard the illicit exchange of $330,000 for a kilogram of cocaine was struck between a dealer known as Person A and Marino Sotiropoulos, the brother of MacGill's partner.</p> <p>The jury heard the ex-cricketer was a regular user of cocaine and bought the drug from Person A for years, usually in half-gram quantities for $200.</p> <p>He was a trusted buyer, allowed to rack up $1000 in drug debts and receiving expensive bottles of alcohol for his patronage, the jury heard.</p> <p>While an initial deal went off without a hitch, Person A decided to rip Sotiropoulos's associates off days later, fleeing with cocaine worth $660,000, crown prosecutor Gabrielle Steedman told the jury.</p> <p>The dealer exchanged the drugs for a vacuum-sealed bag of A4 paper concealed by $50 notes, before turning off his phone and deleting the encrypted app he was using.</p> <p>Threats started to come in demanding the location of Person A or the return of the money, leading to MacGill's kidnapping later in April.</p> <p>The former Test bowler was bundled into the back of a car by several males and taken to an abandoned shed at Bringelly, in Sydney's west, where he was assaulted, threatened and released, the jury heard.</p> <p>Six days later he went to police and denied involvement in the drug supply, Ms Steedman said, although he admitted introducing Person A to Sotiropoulos.</p> <p>While the cricketer denied knowing the one-kilogram deal was to take place, Ms Steedman argued the deal could not have occurred without the prior involvement of MacGill, who she attacked as not an impressive witness.</p> <p>MacGill had allegedly complained about the quality of the cocaine Person A was selling him and said his brother-in-law could get him "good gear" in a large quantity.</p> <p>She also pointed to the dealer's assertions MacGill was in the car park under the Sydney restaurant until the dealer and Sotiropoulos drove off in one car.</p> <p>The exchange took place in the car as it drove across town.</p> <p>MacGill was arrested in 2023.</p> <p>Defence barrister Thos Hodgson attacked Person A as prone to dishonesty and motivated to get a lower sentence for his own drug supply conviction by implicating MacGill.</p> <p>MacGill's prior sharing of his dealer's number with other users - which the Crown claimed showed a tendency to get involved in a larger deal - was also dismissed.</p> <p>"It would not be unusual for people who consume cocaine together ... to say 'where do you get your cocaine?'" Mr Hodgson said in his closing address.</p> <p>MacGill, who retired in 2008 after claiming 208 Test scalps at an average of 29.02, remains on bail until a sentence hearing on May 9.</p> <p>He has flagged he will seek legal costs.</p> </body>