HARRY IS HELD AFTER COPS BUST-UP
Man Utd star spends 2nd night in cells over boozy brawl on Greek hols
HARRY Maguire spent a second night behind bars in Greece last night after a “violent” boozy bar brawl.
The Man Utd defender, 27, left, and two pals face court today over the holiday bust-up on Mykonos. Police said the group “threw down policemen and hit them”.
ENGLAND star Harry Maguire and two friends are being held on a Greek island accused of attacking police officers and then trying to bribe them to drop charges.
The Manchester United captain, 27, was arrested following a vicious boozy brawl on Mykonos.
Police said the footballer and his group of pals became “very abusive and aggressive” towards officers who arrived to break up a late night fight.
Maguire, who joined United from Leicester for £80million last year, and his friends were held in a cell overnight before being taken by ferry to nearby island Syros, an administrative centre, where last night they were due to spend a second night in jail.
They will appear before a Greek prosecutor later today.
One of the trio is accused of trying to “bribe” officers by offering cash to allow them to walk free.
Father-of-two Maguire, who reportedly earns £190,000 a week, had earlier been seen with teammates Marcus Rashford and Brandon Williams, Love Island star Chris Hughes and snooker star Judd Trump.
It remains unclear if any of them were involved in the brawl which broke out after bars on the island shut at midnight on Thursday.
Police spokesman Petros Vassilakis said: “When the brawl was all sorted out, one of the two groups – with the football players – started verbally abusing officers.
“There were several policemen there. At some point, one of the three members of the group – they were aged 27, 28, and 29 – threw a swing at one of the policemen and a fight ensued.
“All of the three were arrested but during the effort to do so, the other two, including the football player, also got violent.
They threw down at least two policemen, hit them with their fists and kicked them.
“I can’t tell you what they were calling us they were using English swear words against the authorities and against the police. All three, including the football player, are being held in custody, locked up in a Mykonos cell. “They will appear before a state prosecutor on Syros to be charged with aggravated assault.”
A colleague of Mr Vassilakis added: “Three foreign nationals were arrested accused of disobedience, causing bodily harm, insulting behaviour and attempted bribery of an officer.
“One of the detainees tried to offer officers money so any court case against them would not be completed.” Maguire has been on holiday on Mykonos with girlfriend Fern Hawkins, 26, brother Joe and friends since Manchester United were knocked out of the Europa League last weekend.
The sunshine break had passed without incident until the group embarked on the heavy drinking session which ended with the fight with another group.
It is believed the partying started at the exclusive SantAnna beach bar club, where tables cost £1,000 each for the afternoon.
They then moved on to the Bonbonniere bar – where Maguire’s sister Daisy posted a video clip of him on social media.
Later they moved on to the Fabrika bar, where the trouble started and police arrived to sort it out.
Another source said: “The police asked the driver of the van to drive to the police station with the two people who were creating the problem, Harry Maguire being one of them. There was one punch thrown before they were told to go to the station.
“They were driven to the station and upon arriving the two of them refused to enter the police station.
“Upon arrival at the station, there was an altercation and cops came to get them inside the station, arresting all three – one just for verbally abusing the police and the other two, including Maguire, for both physical and verbal abuse of the police.”
The source added: “I do not know how this will play out but punching a police officer is a serious offence in Greece.
“There might be a way out of this because of how much money he has and what a symbol he is and I guess it’s not going to be good for Greece if Maguire spends the 2020/21 season in trouble here.”
The prosecutor on Syros will now decide whether Maguire will be
charged and whether he can be released on bail.
Maguire’s lawyer Constantine Darivas said that her client is in an “excellent condition” and “everything is going well”.
She added: “Maguire denies the allegations against him. Fortunately, we will get rid of it tomorrow.”
A spokesman for Manchester United said in a statement yesterday: “The club is aware of an alleged incident involving Harry Maguire in Mykonos last night.
“Contact has been made with Harry, and he is fully co-operating with the Greek authorities.” Video footage posted on Greek website Mykonos Live TV shows Maguire in a black starfish print shirt chatting with fans in the Matogiannia area of Mykonos town. Football fans were singing his name in the street and posing for selfies with the 2018 World Cup hero before things turned nasty.
His girlfriend Fern had earlier posted a picture on social media with the caption “holidays with you” and a love heart.
Manchester United’s players are on holiday following their Europa League semi-final defeat against Spanish side Sevilla last Sunday.
Captain Maguire said after the game that he was “devastated” the team” fell short at the semi-final stage, for the third time this season”.
Maguire is next due to play at Old Trafford in the club’s first game of the season against Crystal Palace on September 19.
If he is found to have brought the club’s reputation into disrepute he could be axed as captain.