Former Australian spinner Stuart MacGill was found guilty of involvement in a cocaine deal on Thursday, but cleared of participating in large-scale drug supply. A Sydney District Court jury acquitted the 54-year-old leg-spinner of facilitating a one-kg cocaine deal worth AUD 330,000 (approximately Rs 1.81 crore ) in April 2021. However, he was convicted of the charge of taking part in drug supply. MacGill, who played 44 Tests for Australia, "showed little emotion" as the verdict was read, according to a reports in Australian media.
Hearing of his sentence was adjourned for eight weeks. The court heard that MacGill introduced his regular drug dealer to his brother-in-law, Marino Sotiropoulos, at a meeting under his restaurant on Sydney's north shore.
While he denied knowledge of the transaction, prosecutors argued the deal could not have taken place without his involvement.
Former Australia spinner Stuart MacGill was involved in an incident last year where he was allegedly kidnapped. However, the alleged kidnappers -- two brothers -- have claimed that Macgill came to them willingly and was involved in the drug trade. As per Fox Sports, the brothers named Richard and Fredrick Schaaf alleged in court that MacGill had gone to the abandoned southwestern Sydney property willingly.
The police had previously said that MacGill was purely a victim and was not involved in any criminal activity.
The pair earlier this year pleaded not guilty to charges of detain in company and with the matter expected to go to a trial mid-next year, as per the report in foxsport.com.au.
"Unfortunately, that's the biggest problem for me because I have sort of feel like it has pretty much put a hold on everything for me. It is an ongoing police investigation; the investigation is pretty much done but the trial part will come up. It was not something you'd even like to happen to your worst enemy. Later in the day, it was getting quite dark, I was bundled into a car by three blokes. I didn't want to get into the car, I said to them twice, 'I'm not getting in the car,' but then it became obvious that they were armed, and they said, 'We know you're not involved, we just want to have a chat,' then they put me in the car and I was in the car for an hour and a half," MacGill told Adam Gilchrist on SEN WA Breakfast Podcast.