Former Australia spinner MacGill avoids jail over cocaine supply

Former Australia cricketer Stuart MacGill avoided jail time after being found guilty of taking part in the supply of cocaine and was instead handed a 22-month intensive corrections order and 495 hours of community service on Friday.

Spinner MacGill, who had pleaded not guilty, had admitted to the use of cocaine and to introducing his partner's brother to his drug dealer, state broadcaster ABC reported.

Prosecutors alleged that the pair later made a deal for A$330,000 ($211,398) worth of cocaine but MacGill maintained his involvement was limited to the introduction at his Sydney restaurant in April 2021.

A group of men were arrested a month later in connection with the abduction of MacGill, who said he had been taken to an abandoned house where he was beaten and threatened with a gun.

The 54-year-old, who probably would have played more than 44 tests if he had not been a contemporary of Shane Warne, had been cleared of involvement in the commercial supply of cocaine by a jury in March.

An intensive corrections order is a custodial sentence which the court decides can be served in the community.