A Greek appeals court has upheld the conviction of England and Manchester United defender Harry Maguire for aggravated assault, effectively ending his six-year legal battle to clear his name. The three-member panel on the island of Syros reduced his original 21-month suspended sentence to 15 months and 20 days, and imposed a €1,500 fine.
The verdict stems from a bar brawl on Mykonos in 2020, in which Maguire, his brother Joe, and a friend were involved. The court ruled that the suspended sentence also applies to his accomplices, though a charge of attempting to bribe a policeman against his brother was dropped.
Prosecution lawyer Ioannis Paradissis praised the decision, stating, “Policemen sustained injuries that night. They have not forgotten what happened to them and they are still awaiting an apology. Not once has Maguire shown any remorse.” The legal team for the four Greek policemen had argued that they were attacked and verbally abused.
Maguire's defence team has vowed to take the case to Greece’s supreme court, though legal experts note that only points of law can be argued at that level. In court, Maguire's lawyer maintained his client bore no responsibility for the brawl and thought he was being abducted when police intervened aggressively.
Under Greek law, an appeal automatically nullifies a conviction before a higher court examines the case. This was the fifth time a tribunal had convened for the retrial, with previous adjournments frustrating Maguire's attempts to clear his name. The centre-back was not present in court on Wednesday and was preparing for Manchester United's match against Newcastle.
