Maguire to appeal against suspended prison sentence
● World’s most expensive defender found guilty of assaulting a police officer in Greece
Manchester United and England defender Harry Maguire has vowed to clear his name after being found guilty of assaulting a police officer, swearing, resisting arrest and bribery by a Greek court.
The 27-year-old was arrested in the early hours of Friday after an alleged incident on the island of Mykonos, with the defender appearing at a hearing the following day in neighbouring Syros.
Maguirewa snot at thesu bsequent court casey est erday, when – only hours after receiving the backing of England manager Gareth Southgate – he was found guilty of a number of charges.
The world’ s most exp ensive defender faced several charges along with Christo - pher Sharman and brother Joe Maguire, the centre-back receiving a suspended prison sentence of 21 months.
Maguire said :“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 any thing myself, family and friends are the victims.”
The verdict led England boss Southgate to withdraw the defender from the squad for the Nations League doubleheader against Iceland and Denmark, having only selected him earlier in the day.
There are questions about how Manchester United will move for ward but in a club statement released shortly after the verdict they said: “Manchester United notes the verdict of the Greek court.
“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 prose cution 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.”
It is understood Maguire’s team were angered and perplexed by the decision not to adjourn proceedings, having only received the charge sheet and near 50 pages of evidence late on Monday.
The conduct of the trial has frustrated those connected to the defence and there is hope that an appeal will allow for more evidence to be utilised, in cluding forensic evidence demonstrating injuries to the defender and sister Daisy.
Maguire was among a group off our couples that went out in Mykonos on Thursday and the court heard the defence claim that Daisy fainted after being injected in a bar by two men. Tensions became fraught and the group attempted to return to the villa, with the defence claiming undercover police directed the minibus to go to the police station – something the group were not aware of.
A group of Greek men allegedly kicked Maguire and told him “your career is over” when they got there. Fearing he was being rob bed, Maguire’ s attempts to get away saw him arrested and detained.
The defender denies alle - ga ti on of bribery and sees any physical actions as selfdefence towards individuals the group had not been aware were police officers.
“I remain strong and confident regarding our innocence in this matter – if anything myself, family and friends are the victims”