Former Test cricketer Stuart MacGill told police in an interview that a woman he's accused of intimidating in Sydney was "unhinged", "disturbed" and followed him for over a year, a court has heard.
The 51-year-old denies stalking and intimidating Samantha Ford, the licensee of The Argyle in The Rocks, on Kent Street and then at a bar on February 1, when he was with another man, Stephen Kerlin.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Michael Cleaver today told Downing Centre Local Court that police would rely on "the totality of his actions", including his words, demeanour, tone and proximity to the alleged victim, to establish intimidation.
In a police interview about a fortnight after the alleged incident, Mr MacGill accused Ms Ford of following both him and his partner for over 12 months.
"When you don't want somebody around and they consistently and regularly insist on being around, it's very intimidating," he said in a video of the interview, which was played to the court.
Mr MacGill said Ms Ford "had us followed" by photographer Jamie Fawcett eight months prior to the alleged incident, "taking photos and following us in his van".
He told police he had reported the matter at the time and said Ms Ford "refuses to go away".
Later in the interview, Mr MacGill said he would not comment on any statement Ms Ford had made "because I believe her to be unhinged".
He was told police have witnesses who heard him swear at Ms Ford in the Captain Cook Hotel, calling her a "c***", which he denied.
Mr MacGill said Ms Ford had followed them up the road and into the pub.
"We asked her to leave. Repeatedly," he adds.
The ex-spin bowler agreed he had been drinking on the day and started "late", but couldn't say how many drinks he'd consumed.
He also complained that Ms Ford must have "some power that I don't have" because he would have been happy to take action against her, but nothing was done about his previous complaint.
Witness Tom Entwistle, 19, was sitting with friends at the Lord Nelson Hotel when he saw Ms Ford with her dog before two men spoke to her in a "kind of aggressive" manner.
He told the court he could not hear most of the conversation but "the general tone of the interaction I picked up on was they were talking at her, not to her".
The hearing continues.
