Maguire brawl conviction nullified as he faces retrial

FOOTBALLER Harry Maguire is “presumed innocent” again as he awaits a retrial after appealing his convictions for assault and bribery.

The Manchester United skipper, 27, got a 21-month suspended sentence on Tuesday following a fracas on party island Mykonos.

But under Greek law, yesterday’s appeal by his legal team means his criminal record has been erased as he awaits a new hearing – which may take up to two years.

It came after Maguire posted a quote on Tuesday saying: “Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon and the truth.”

Insult

And brother Laurence, 23, has insisted the star will not apologise to police over events on Friday.

Manchester United said in a statement last night: “An appeal was lodged by Harry’s legal team.

“This means that Harry has no criminal record and is once again presumed innocent until proven guilty. Accordingly, he is not subject to international travel restrictions.”

Yannis Paradissis, the prosecution lawyer in Tuesday’s trial on the island of Syros, confirmed the appeal had been submitted. He said: “Under Greek law there is no criminal record if an appeal is made.

“Such a case could take between one to two years before it goes to appeal. An appeal is a retrial before a new court, with new judges.”

On Tuesday, Maguire was named in England’s squad for Nations League matches with Iceland and Denmark in September. But he was

Rematch... Maguire, left, leaves the court on Greek island Syros with dad Alan. Right, the message Maguire posted after his conviction

dropped hours later, after he was found guilty of repeated bodily harm, attempted bribery, violence against public employees and insult following his arrest along with brother Joe, 28, and family friend Christopher Sharman, 29.

Joe and Sharman were both sentenced to 13 months, also suspended three years. All three men had denied the charges. Maguire’s legal team had pleaded for the case to be postponed on Tuesday so they could mount a detailed defence.

Greek law experts agreed the trial was unusual in many ways.

Before yesterday’s appeal, Mr Paradissis had urged Maguire to apologise to officers who claimed they were assaulted after splitting up a brawl. He also suggested that Harry’s sister Daisy, 20, had not spoken to police about claims she was injected with a drug by two Albanians – which was said to have sparked the bust-up.

But Maguire’s brother Laurence tweeted: “Absolute no chance Harry will be apologising. Daisy and no one in the group was interviewed by the police.”

Mr Paradissis said yesterday: “[The police officers] told me they are still waiting for an apology. This is what I find quite shocking and quite unsporting.

“If there had been an apology right at the start, it would have ended much differently. I don’t think it would have come to this”

Maguire’s defence team hopes video evidence will be the key at the retrial. They also say they have forensic proof to back up the claims about Daisy.