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A Greek appeals court has found the England and Manchester United defender Harry Maguire guilty of aggravated assault, upholding an earlier conviction that effectively ends a six year-long legal battle to clear his name.
A three-member panel of judges sitting on the Aegean island of Syros handed Maguire a 15-month and 20-day suspended prison term citing role in a bar brawl on Mykonos in 2020. Originally he had received a 21-month and 10-day suspended sentence. The higher court also added a non-negotiable €1,500 fine.
The verdict was praised by the legal team representing the four Greek policemen who had claimed they were attacked and verbally abused by Maguire, his younger footballer brother, Joe, and a friend, all of whom were holidaying on the popular Cycladic isle at the time.
“Today, the court upheld the conviction and justice was done,” prosecution lawyer Ioannis Paradisis told the Guardian. “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 three men were detained for two days following the incident. The higher court ruled the verdict would also apply to Maguire’s “accomplices.” Showing leniency they dropped a conviction of attempting to bribe a policeman that had been levelled against his brother.
Maguire’s defence team vowed to take the case to Greece’s supreme court but legal experts said at that level only points of law could be argued. In court, Maguire’s lawyer had maintained his client bore no responsibility for the brawl and thought he was being abducted when the police aggressively intervened.
Under Greek law an appeal process automatically nullifies a conviction before the case is examined by a more senior court. The verdict was the fifth time a tribunal had covened for the retrial. Each time, proceedings were adjourned making Maguire even more determined to clear his name.
Paradisis said it was hoped that following the verdict the FA would take disciplinary action against the player “because he has a conviction against his name for violence.”
Under Greek law, judges sitting on an appeals court are unable to issue a penalty that is tougher than the one already handed out by a lower court of first instance.
The centre-back was not in the Greek court on Wednesday and was preparing as normal for United’s game on Wednesday night at Newcastle.
