Manchester United captain Harry Maguire has been given a suspended sentence of 21 months and 10 days in prison after his trial on the Greek island of Syros.
The England defender, 27, was found guilty of repeated bodily harm, attempted bribery, violence against public employees and insult after arrest on Mykonos.
Maguire said after Tuesday’s verdict that he had instructed his 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”.
The sentence is suspended for three years because it is a first offence and the charges were misdemeanors.
Manchester United official statement:
“Harry Maguire pleaded not guilty to all of the misdemeanor 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.”
What are the charges on the United Captain and How Police arrested them?
He was arrested with his brother and a friend after a fight broke out while he was on holiday in Mykonos over claims his sister was injected with a suspected “rape drug” .
Anagnostakis,lawyer of Harry told the court the events stemmed from Maguire’s sister Daisy being injected by a substance by a group of Albanians and she immediately fainted.
The defendants called for transport and asked to be driven to a hospital, but were instead taken to a police station.
The prosecution said Maguire, his brother and friend then physically and verbally attacked police officers.One policeman alleged that while at the police station, Maguire said: “Do you know who I am? I am the captain of Manchester United. I am very rich. I can give you money. I can pay you. Please let us go.”
His colleague added that Maguire had said to him: “Please, let me go. I am very rich. I can pay. I am the leader of Manchester United.”
The defence argued that this request may have been lost in translation and suggested Maguire may have been asking to pay a “fine” to be released.
In response to the charge of insult, the defence added that the defendants said things which did not imply diminished professionalism by the police officers.
Anagnostakis said the defendants had been beaten, an assertion confirmed by a forensic expert, and added that Maguire became angry only after he was as hit on his “golden leg”, insinuating his dominant leg in football
Southgate drops Harry Maguire from England Squad
Harry Maguire has been withdrawn from England’s squad for next month’s Nations League matches after being found guilty of three charges by a Greek court.
Southgate said “In Light of this evening’s developments, i can confirm i have withdrawn Harry Maguire from the England squad for the matches against Iceland and Denmark”.
[…] Tuesday, Maguire was given a suspended sentence of 21 months and 10 days in prison after his trial on the Greek island of Syros.He was found guilty of repeated bodily harm, […]