Former Australian cricketer Stuart MacGill has been spared jail time after being found guilty of involvement in the supply of cocaine. The 54-year-old received a 22-month intensive corrections order and was sentenced to 495 hours of community service on Friday.

MacGill, who played 44 Test matches for Australia between 1998 and 2008, pleaded not guilty but admitted to using cocaine and introducing his brother-in-law to his drug dealer, according to Australian broadcaster ABC.

Prosecutors revealed that MacGill and his brother-in-law later arranged a deal for cocaine worth 330,000 Australian dollars (£159,000). However, MacGill maintained that his involvement was limited to the introduction in Sydney in April 2021.

The case came to light following a police investigation initiated after MacGill reported being abducted and beaten in April 2021. He sustained minor injuries but did not require medical attention. A group of men was arrested a month later in connection with the abduction, during which MacGill claimed he was driven to a remote location, assaulted, and threatened at gunpoint.

In September 2023, MacGill was charged with participating in the supply of a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug. Despite the charges, he has avoided jail time, focusing instead on community service and rehabilitation.