Former cricketer Stuart MacGill is now allowed to see his best mate and consume alcohol as his bail was changed following allegations he verbally abused a Sydney bar owner.
The Test spinning great was charged with a string of offences following an alleged incident on February 1 outside a Millers Point home in central Sydney.
Police allege Mr MacGill, 51, and his co-accused and best mate Stephen Kerlin, 54, verbally abused Samantha Lorraine Ford.
Their tirade allegedly continued outside a bar on the same street, where it is alleged Mr Kerlin assaulted Ms Ford, who is his former partner.
Mr MacGill was charged with intimidation and using offensive language in a public place when he handed himself into Day Street Police Station in central Sydney on February 19.
He appeared on Friday at Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court, where lawyer Joseph Correy applied to alter bail conditions, allowing Mr MacGill to see Mr Kerlin and drink alcohol.
Mr Correy told the court the 51-year-old needed the support of Mr Kerlin as he is participating in a trial related to his alleged kidnapping.
“I’ve been told to advocate for this strongly as he is a person with a limited support network,” Mr Correy said.
“If you’ve been kidnapped as police allege he was, there is serious trauma, his best mate provided him with emotional support … that is who xjmtzywis getting him through this.”Mr MacGill quietly sat in the court with his head down as he heard Mr Correy explain the duress he is under from the alleged kidnapping.
“He would like to be able to speak to his friend and have the support of a friend in a period of his life when he needs it most,” the solicitor said.
“A major part of his support network was ripped away.”
CCTV footage was played to the court, showing the altercation where Mr MacGill was allegedly on his phone in the bar as Ms Ford walked in with her dog.
Mr Kerlin allegedly approached the woman and assaulted her as multiple staff members watched on.
Mr Correy said the offending did not resemble a typical offence in a Sydney CBD bar but was just a “brief interaction that appears heated”.
“That CCTV is not reflective of a person who should be prohibited from doing something that is legal, the consumption of alcohol … they shouldn’t prevent him from seeing his best friend and support person,” he said.
Magistrate Daniel Covington told the court there were concerns Mr MacGill and Mr Kerlin would “get drunk together and start abusing women”, while the police prosecutor said the pair “backed a woman into a corner in a public place”.
Police opposed both the conditions of Mr MacGill being allowed to consume alcohol and to see Mr Kerlin because of the nature of the charges.
Mr Covington accepted Mr MacGill used Mr Kerlin as emotional support and had no history of offending other than a high-range drink driving charge in 2019.
“If they were to be intoxicated at a public place, the two of them could be intoxicated and that may present as an unacceptable risk of the future,” he said.
However, the magistrate said Mr MacGill was on the “periphery” and was on his phone during the alleged offending.
Mr Covington approved the bail changes, deleting the conditions of not being allowed to see his friend or drink alcohol.
A condition where Mr MacGill is not allowed within 2km of Town Hall was also deleted and replaced with not being allowed to enter The Rocks or Millers Point.
Mr MacGill is set to appear in court again on March 30.
Mr Kerlin has been charged with common assault, intimidation and contravening an apprehended violence order.
He is set to face court again in September.
