- Stuart MacGill’s court case has been adjourned
- Because of his alleged role in a $330,000 cocaine deal
- Five men will face trial for suspected kidnapping
The trial of a group of men who allegedly abducted Stuart MacGill from outside his Sydney home has been postponed after the former magnate was charged with drug offences.
A group of men – Frederick Schaaf, Richard Schaaf, Elijah Schaaf, Marino Sotiropoulos and Vaeluagaomatagi Feilo – were to face a trial in the District Court starting on October 23.
All have pleaded not guilty to their alleged roles in the abduction of Mr MacGill from outside his Cremorne flat in April 2021.
The five men will face trial after MacGill was allegedly taken to a property in Bringelly in south-west Sydney, where he was assaulted, threatened with a gun and demanded money.
It is alleged the incident was linked to a drug deal gone wrong, the court previously heard.
4. An alleged kidnapping trial involving Stuart MacGill has been delayed
Five men are accused of kidnapping the cricket legend
Mr MacGill was reportedly held for an hour before being taken to Belmore, where he was released and allowed to get into a taxi.
In September, former Test great MacGill was charged with involvement in a large-scale cocaine deal worth $330,000.
The detectives arrested Mr. MacGill, 52, at Chatswood Police Station, where he was charged with knowingly participating in the large-scale commercial supply of drugs.
Mr MacGill was granted probation and will make his first appearance at Manly Local Court on October 26. He has not yet filed a statement.
Downing Center District heard on Wednesday that Crown prosecutor Emma Blizard had applied for the alleged kidnappers’ trial date to be set aside because Mr MacGill’s proceedings had not yet been finalized in the Local Court.
“Are you suggesting that the procedures involving Mr. these accused,” said Acting Judge Graeme Henson.
Ms Blizard asked for the matter to be adjourned until January so that ‘more is known’ about Mr MacGill’s case.
It was delayed because of MacGill’s alleged role in a cocaine deal
The only objection to the vacating the trial date was heard by attorneys acting for Elijah Schaaf, who remains in custody overruled.
The case was further complicated because a USB stick, which held a Cellebrite download of MacGill’s phone, was ‘lost’ after being ‘missed’ by police, a lawyer acting for Richard Schaaf told the court.
Judge Henson resisted requests to postpone the trial until after Mr. MacGill had been finalised, noting that if the cricket great goes to trial, it may not be until October next year.
The case will return to court in November to set a new trial date with Judge Henson also agreeing to change the bail conditions of Richard and Frederick Schaaf.
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