Manchester United captain, Harry Maguire handed 21-month prison sentence

Manchester United captain, Harry Maguire, has been given a suspended prison sentence of 21 months and 10 days by a Greek court, after being found guilty of aggravated assault, resisting arrest and repeated attempts of bribery.

Court officials said he had been found guilty of repeated bodily harm, attempted bribery, violence against public employees and insult after his arrest Mykonos.

The sentence will be suspended because it is Maguire’s first offence and charges were misdemeanours.

However, the England defender’s legal team have said they will appeal the verdict. Maguire was convicted of all the charges against him by a court on the island of Syros.

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”.

Manchester United captain Maguire, who was released from custody over the weekend, was not present at the trial before a judge on the nearby island of Syros on Tuesday.

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 anything myself, family and friends are the victims.

United released a statement shortly after the verdict, which read:

Manchester United notes the verdict of the Greek court today. 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 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.