By Peter Omopo
Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has been given a 15-month suspended prison sentence by a Greek court following a retrial over an incident that occurred on the island of Mykonos in August 2020.
The England international, who has earned 64 caps for his country, was initially handed a suspended sentence of 21 months and 10 days in 2020 after being found guilty of repeated bodily harm, attempted bribery, violence against public employees and insult.
Maguire’s legal team filed an appeal the following day, which under Greek law automatically nullified the original conviction and triggered a full retrial. The new hearing, which faced multiple postponements between 2023 and 2025 due to procedural delays, resumed on the island of Syros on Wednesday.
At the conclusion of the retrial, the court found Maguire guilty of non-serious assault, resisting arrest and attempted bribery. In line with the revised assessment of the offences, his sentence was reduced to 15 months, suspended.
Sources close to the player told BBC Sport that Maguire denies any wrongdoing and intends to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court. The 32-year-old has previously rejected opportunities to settle the matter out of court, maintaining his determination to clear his name through the legal process.
Maguire remains part of the Manchester United squad and is available for Wednesday’s Premier League fixture against Newcastle United, despite being substituted due to illness during Sunday’s win over Crystal Palace.
The case has drawn attention to differences between the Greek and United Kingdom legal systems. In Greece, an appeal against a lower court conviction annuls the original verdict and results in a retrial where evidence is reheard, unlike in the UK where appeals generally focus on potential legal errors in the initial proceedings.
Under Greek law, proceedings for offences of this nature must be concluded within eight years, meaning the case would expire in August 2028 if not resolved by then.
