Four suspects arrested after abduction of ex-cricket star

STUART MACGILL, the former Australian cricketer, was allegedly kidnapped, threatened and assaulted, it was revealed after police arrested four men suspected of the attack.

New South Wales Police allege that, on April 14 at about 8pm, Mr Macgill was approached by Marino Sotiropoulos, the brother of Mr Macgill’s former partner Maria O’meagher, near a Sydney road intersection.

Two other men then appeared and allegedly forced him into a car.

Mr Macgill was then apparently driven to a property in Bringelly, on the outskirts of the city, where he was allegedly assaulted and threatened with a gun before being released about an hour later in Belmore, almost 40km away.

He suffered minor injuries and was shaken by the experience, and reported it to police six days later.

This week, officers arrested Mr Sotiropoulos, 46, and three other men aged 27, 29 and 42. Det Acting Supt Anthony Holton said Mr Macgill “was seen as someone they could get money from, although no money was paid prior to him being released”.

“Everyone experiences trauma differently – to be dragged into a car, driven to a remote location, physically assaulted, threatened with a firearm – I think you would be pretty worried about your own personal safety,” he said.

Mr Macgill, who played 44 Tests for Australia between 1998 and 2008, is considered to be one of the best leg-spin bowlers of all time but had the misfortune of playing in the same era as Shane Warne. He also served as a bowling coach for England.

He is known for taking a strong stance on certain issues. In 2004, he was the only Australian cricketer to declare himself unavailable to tour Zimbabwe as an expression of his concern at the Mugabe government’s policies.

He also refused to appear in an advertisement for Cricket Australia sponsor KFC, saying it put undue pressure on parents to buy fast food for their children.