Manchester United captain Harry Maguire to appeal Greek court verdict
Manchester United captain Harry Maguire will appeal a Greek court decision finding him guilty of assault, resisting arrest, and attempted bribery following an incident on the Greek island of Mykonos.
The 27-year-old, who was represented by his lawyers in Tuesday’s trial, was handed a suspended prison sentence of 21 months and 10 days, according to Reuters.
Maguire has continued to plead his innocence and released a statement Tuesday saying his family and friends were the true victims.
“Following the hearing today, I have instructed my legal team with immediate effect to inform the courts we will be appealing,” he said.
“I remain strong and confident regarding our innocence in this matter — if anything myself, family and friends are the victims.”
Maguire had been on vacation in Mykonos with friends last week when he was arrested Friday morning following an incident with police.
Authorities said three Britons — Maguire, his brother and a friend — had “turned against them” after officers had intervened in a “dispute between citizens.”
All three men had denied the charges against them, according to Reuters.
Maguire posted a quote, attributed to Buddha, on his Instagram story Tuesday.
“Three things cannot be long hidden — the sun, the moon and the truth,” it read.
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‘Strongly assert his innocence’
Manchester United also released a statement following Tuesday’s verdict.
“Harry Maguire pleaded not guilty to all of the misdemeanour charges made against him and he continues to strongly assert his innocence,” it read.
“It should be noted that the prosecution confirmed the charges and provided their evidence late on the day before the trial, giving the defense 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.”
CNN has reached out to the Greek court in Syros for verdict details but has yet to hear back.
Maguire joined the Old Trafford club from Leicester in 2019 for over $100 million and helped guide the team to a third-place finish in the Premier League this season.
On Tuesday, he was named in the national team side for England’s upcoming Nations League fixtures but has been withdrawn by manager Gareth Southgate following the guilty verdict.
