Former Australian Test cricketer Stuart MacGill was acquitted by a Sydney District Court jury of participating in a large-scale cocaine deal but was found guilty of a lesser drug supply charge. The jury determined that MacGill was aware of a cocaine exchange valued at Aus$330,000 but did not grasp its magnitude. The deal, arranged under his restaurant, involved his brother-in-law Marino Sotiropoulos and MacGill’s regular drug dealer. Prosecutors claimed MacGill must have known about the deal, but the jury rejected this assertion. His sentencing hearing has been postponed for eight weeks.
This is the outcome of a Sydney District Court jury that acquitted the ex-legspinner on Thursday of involvement in a significant commercial drug distribution from April 2021.
The jury was informed that the illegal transaction of Aus$330,000 for a kilogram of cocaine was arranged between MacGill’s usual drug dealer and his brother-in-law, Marino Sotiropoulos.
The cricketer organized a meeting beneath his restaurant located on Sydney’s north shore but claimed he was unaware that the deal was set to occur.
Prosecutors contended that the transaction could not have happened without MacGill’s prior involvement.
While the jury rejected the Crown’s assertions regarding MacGill’s awareness of the one-kilogram deal, it convicted him of the lesser charge of participating in drug supply.
MacGill, who had a 44-Test career overshadowed by Shane Warne, displayed little emotion as the verdicts were announced.
His sentencing hearing has been postponed for eight weeks.