LiveUpdated
Tuesday 25 August 2020 18:13
Maguire was one of three men arrested last Friday after an altercation with police on holiday in Mykonos
Harry Maguire has been found guilty of aggravated assault, resisting arrest, and repeated attempts of bribery while on holiday in Greece.
The Manchester United captain had denied all charges and was released from custody after an incident involving police and two other defendants on Friday evening and was not required to return for Tuesday’s hearing on the island of Syros.
He has been handed a prison sentence of 21 months and 10 days that will be suspended. He has already confirmed his intention to appeal. Maguire was earlier included in Gareth Southgate’s England squad. Follow the latest:
Read the full story from today’s court hearing below:
Harry Maguire has released the following statement.
“Following the hearing today, I have instructed my legal team with immediate effect to inform the courts we will be appealing.
“I remain strong and confident regarding our innocence in this matter – if anything myself, family and friends are the victims.”
Maguire has been handed a prison sentence of 21 months and 10 days.
It will however be suspended because it is a first offence and the charges were misdemeanours.
Manchester United have released the following statement:
Manchester United notes the verdict of the Greek court today.
Harry Maguire pleaded not guilty to all of the misdemeanour charges made against him and he continues to strongly assert his innocence.
It should be noted that the prosecution confirmed the charges and provided their evidence late on the day before the trial, giving the defence team minimal time to digest them and prepare.
A request for the case to be adjourned was subsequently denied.
On this basis, along with the substantial body of evidence refuting the charges, Harry Maguire’s legal team will now appeal the verdict, to allow a full and fair hearing at a later date.
Another police officer told a similar account of events, with one of the trio shouting “f***, f*** the police” during the altercation and allegedly punching an officer.
During the trial, one of the on-duty police officers claimed he had to be treated with first aid after being forcefully pushed by Maguire, who had just been handcuffed.
The trio were then taken to a police station, where the repeated attempts of bribery are alleged to have taken place. The defence claimed Maguire was “kicked” by officers and told his “career was over” while in custody.
Maguire spent two nights in a police cell following the incident, which reportedly was sparked after he was taunted by rival supporters.
However, the defence claimed the brawl erupted after Maguire’s sister was injected with a substance they feared was a rape drug by two “Albanian” men.
There were a number of explosive claims from the outset.
The prosecution alleged Maguire attempted to bribe police after being taken to a police station following a brawl.
Maguire was then said to have attempted to pay his way out of the incident.
The court heard that Maguire allegedly said: “Do you know who I am? I am very rich, I can give you money.”
During his press conference earlier, England manager Gareth Southgate explained that his decision to include Maguire in his squad could still change upon any new information from the court.
It’s clearly a decision that is not straightforward and a decision that in the end I could only take on the information that I have. I have spoken with Harry. I have the insight to the story, which is very different to what’s being reported. And in these instances, I think you can only make decisions on facts that you’re aware of. Now clearly if facts change further down the line or information changes, then I have to review that decision. But I have a fantastic relationship with the boy. Harry has been an outstanding character for us.
Harry Maguire has been found guilty of aggravated assault, resisting arrest, and repeated attempts of bribery while on holiday in Greece.
The Manchester United captain was released from custody after an incident involving police and two other defendants on Friday evening and was not required to return for Tuesday’s hearing on the island of Syros.
Maguire’s lawyer, Alexis Anagnostakis, had attempted to get the hearing postponed earlier in the day to no avail.
Breaking news.
Harry Maguire has been found guilty of aggravated assault, resisting arrest, and repeated attempts of bribery.
More to follow.
The court has taken a recess, but a verdict is expected shortly from the three judges.
Maguire’s lawyers are now summing up their case, with the defence alleging that their rights were not respected during their arrest as the police officers did not make their identities or instructions know.
He adds that the bribery charges are vague and that they would never say “f*** Greece” as they love the country and its ancient history.
Southgate insists Maguire must meet ‘expectations’
Well, I think we recognise that if you’re a player with England, that has a profile, and there are expectations and there was also attention and focus that goes with that.
Clearly if you’re the captain of the club like Manchester United, that’s the same, so he’s fully aware of that.
And, you know, I think it’s the same for all of our players, really. We know that there’s a responsibility in wider society.
We have a fantastic connection with our fans. He’s been a big part of that over the last couple of years.
We play Iceland this week. The four years since we last played Iceland – or however long it is – that relationship with our supporters, that engagement with our supporters has improved enormously and we want to keep that.
We want to keep improving that and we want to keep delivering on the field. So, we can’t wait to get back wearing the shirt, representing our country and looking forward to these matches.
Southgate on whether he could still drop Maguire
Well, I’m not going to get into hypotheticals of what might or might not happen but, as I said, I’ve got to reserve the right to review if further information becomes available.
I think whenever you’re in a management position, you have to make lots of decisions and you always make decisions to the best of your ability given the information that you have.
People might agree or disagree with those decisions but, you know, I think that’s the position every manager finds themselves in and at this moment in time that’s where I am with it.
As I said, Harry regrets the fact that he’s brought that sort of focus and attention on the team and he apologised for that.
But he also has his own side of the story that I think will come out in time.
Southgate on Maguire’s regret
Harry regrets the fact he’s brought that attention and focus on the team and he apologised for that, but he has his own side of the story that will come out in time.
Ashden Morley, a childhood friend of the Maguires, has been called by the defence.
He alleges that Harry Maguire’s fiancée noticed his sister’s eyes rolling back. The English group suspected that she had been injected with a rape drug.
You can only make decisions on facts you are aware of. If info changes down the line, I have to review that decision. I have a fantastic relationship with the boy. I’ve not reason to doubt what he’s telling me.
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