Big development in Stuart MacGill alleged kidnapping case

One of the men charged over the alleged Stuart MacGill kidnapping is set to face a jury next month.

Vaeluagaomatagi Feilo, 19, is one of six men who has been arrested and charged over the alleged kidnapping of the former Test spinner from outside his home on Sydney’s lower north shore last year.

Mr Feilo and Elijah Schaaf, 23, were arrested in June and charged with detaining in company with intent to get advantage after a public appeal by NSW Police.

Mr Feilo was arrested after police searched his Blacktown home as well as other properties.

On Thursday, he was committed to stand trial in Sydney’s Downing Centre District Court starting on February 25.

Mr Feilo appeared briefly in Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court with a small group of supporters.

Mr MacGill was allegedly taken to a Bringelly property in Sydney’s southwest last April, where he was assaulted, threatened with a gun and demands were made for money.

He was allegedly held for an hour before being driven to Belmore, in southwestern Sydney, where he was released.

Six men have been arrested over the alleged plot, including Marino Sotiropoulos, who is the brother of Mr MacGill’s partner Maria O’Meagher.

Police have said that Mr MacGill was not involved in any illegal activity and that he was “purely” a victim.

Mr Sotiropoulos has previously denied that he was involved in kidnapping Mr MacGill from outside his Cremorne home.

On Thursday, the other five men arrested over the alleged incident - Mr Sotiropoulos, Elijah, Frederick and Richard Schaaf and Son Minh Nguyen - all had their matters briefly mentioned in Central Local Court and are due to appear again in a fortnight.