Stuart MacGill's cocaine dealer once bought him an expensive bottle of bourbon and allowed him to rack up significant drug debts, a jury has heard.
The former Test spin bowler allegedly used cocaine for years before helping set up a deal that would ultimately lead to him being kidnapped and beaten.
MacGill is alleged to have facilitated the supply of one kilogram of cocaine during a meeting at his restaurant, on Sydney's lower north shore, on or around April 8, 2021.
The 53-year-old is on trial in Sydney's Downing Centre District Court after pleading not guilty to one count of taking part in the supply of a prohibited drug.
Crown prosecutor Gabrielle Steedman told the jury on Tuesday that at the time of the alleged offence MacGill was a regular cocaine user and would often buy the drug from an associate, who would be referred to as "Person A" during the trial.
MacGill had allegedly been buying cocaine from Person A for several years, usually in half-gram quantities for $200.
There was a trusted relationship between the pair, with MacGill allowed to rack up drug debts of around $1000 and being gifted the expensive bourbon, Ms Steedman said.
The former sportsman allegedly introduced Person A to his brother-in-law, Marino Sotiropoulos, for the purpose of supplying the drug dealer with a kilogram of cocaine for $330,000, the court heard.
MacGill had been in a de facto relationship with Sotiropoulos's sister, Maria O'Meagher, with whom the ex-cricketer ran a restaurant, Aristotle's, in Neutral Bay, the jury was told.
On one occasion, MacGill 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.
MacGill then allegedly arranged a meeting between the pair at an underground car park attached to his restaurant, before the two men left to conduct the deal at a separate location in the inner-west suburb of Ashfield while the ex-cricketer remained behind.
Following the initial deal, Person A allegedly sent MacGill a message offering him cocaine as "a present".
"You’re a man of your word," the message allegedly said.
The jury was told they could expect to hear Person A say that MacGill turned down the offer and instead had his drug debt of around $1000 wiped.
Following the initial deal, the jury heard Person A decided to set up another in which he would rip off the suppliers by using a fake bundle of cash.
But once it became apparent they had been ripped off, the suppliers allegedly targeted MacGill in their search for Person A.
There was no dispute MacGill was kidnapped by several men on 14 April, 2021, and driven to a remote location, where he was stripped and beaten, the jury heard.
He was released after several hours and six days later he went to police to report being kidnapped, the court heard.
MacGill's phone was thrown through the doors of media outlet News Corp in Sydney by an unknown person some months after the kidnapping and later handed to police.
Police conducted a forensic examination of the phone and saved its contents - including, potentially the content of messages - on a USB which was subsequently lost and never recovered.
Later when police raided the residence of Person A, they found 856.9 grams of cocaine, $292,940 in cash, a pistol and ammunition, as well as 15 mobile phones, three sets of scales and resealable bags, the court was told.
Defence barrister Thos Hodgson said MacGill maintained he simply introduced Person A and Sotiropoulos and had no further involvement in what occurred between them.
"He had no knowledge whatsoever as to what the deal was going to be," he said.
Mr Hodgson added the case would hinge on the evidence of Person A and he asked the jury to carefully consider what they were told.
The trial continues.
