Three weeks after he was allegedly involved in the intimidation and verbal abuse of a bar owner in Sydney, former Australian Test cricketer Stuart MacGill has pleaded not guilty to the allegation. Since he is self-isolating after testing positive for COVID-19, the 51-year old former spin bowler was unable to attend the Downing Center in Sydney on Wednesday.
Samantha Ford, the licensee of The Argyle in The Rocks, was allegedly verbally abused by MacGill and another man outside a property and later at a pub on Kent Street in Millers Point on February 1, according to police. MacGill was charged with threatening and using unpleasant language in a public place after turning himself in to the Day Street Police Station on Friday.
To protect Ms Ford, police requested the court to issue an AVO against MacGill. After his pleas of not guilty were entered, Magistrate Susan Horan ordered him to have his bail continued. In connection with the incident with Ms Ford, another man, Stephen Kerlin, 54, was charged with common assault, intimidation, and breaking an AVO.
These charges against the former Australian cricketer are the latest in a series of controversial incidents in his life since last year. MacGill claims he was kidnapped from a street near his Cremorne house on April 14 last year after a cocaine deal went awry. He was allegedly physically abused before being released at Belmore after being driven to a rural house in Bringelly in Sydney’s south-west.
MacGill informed police that his attackers stripped him naked and threatened to cut off his fingers unless he handed up $150,000. Police believed he was innocent and was held responsible for the bungled mission after his accomplice allegedly stole 2 kg of the heroin from his kidnappers.
MacGill and his partner Maria O’Meagher announced in June last year that they were closing the Aristotles restaurant they had co-owned in Sydney’s Neutral Bay after the landlord demanded a rent hike.
MacGill is scheduled to appear in court again in September.
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