Harry Maguire after the retrial: 15-month suspended sentence and next legal steps
harry maguire has been handed a 15-month suspended sentence by a Greek court following a retrial linked to an incident in Mykonos, Greece in August 2020. The Manchester United and England defender has consistently denied wrongdoing and intends to appeal the verdict again in Greece’s Supreme Civil and Criminal Court.
What happens now for Harry Maguire after the guilty verdict?
The Greek court found Harry Maguire guilty of non-serious assault, resisting arrest and attempted bribery, convicting him on all three counts and issuing a suspended 15-month prison sentence. The sentence was reduced in length and severity compared with the original suspended term of 21 months, and the fine that accompanied the earlier sentence has been removed.
The case has moved through multiple stages in Greece. After the initial convictions, a retrial was granted on appeal and the earlier conviction was nullified under Greek law ahead of the new hearing in a more senior court. The retrial was postponed multiple times before being heard on Wednesday.
Harry Maguire’s legal team plans to appeal the latest verdict to the Greek Supreme Court in an attempt to clear his name. Maguire has rejected opportunities to settle the case with a financial offer, maintaining that he wants to resolve the matter through the legal process.
What if the appeal progresses as planned in Greece’s top court?
The next procedural step outlined by the player’s side is an appeal to Greece’s Supreme Civil and Criminal Court, aimed at quashing the judgment. The context available does not include a timeline for when that court will consider the case, or what outcomes are possible beyond the intention to appeal.
The available information does, however, clarify several key points about the current legal status. The 15-month sentence is suspended, meaning the verdict does not result in immediate prison time. The removal of the earlier fine also marks a change from the original sentencing.
There were also questions raised around the handling of the proceedings. Maguire’s representatives have privately expressed reservations about the conduct of the case. Separately, the Greek prosecution lawyer in the case strongly denied any corruption in the process that led to the guilty verdict and the suspended sentence.
What happens when football schedules collide with a major legal development?
Harry Maguire was not involved in the latest legal process and was not required to attend court for the retrial, which took place on the Greek island of Syros. The development does not affect his availability for Manchester United’s Premier League meeting with Newcastle United on Wednesday evening (ET).
In the immediate term, the club schedule has continued. Maguire was preparing as normal for Wednesday night’s match against Newcastle. The context also states he is a doubt for the trip to St James’ Park due to illness, after being brought off in the 85th minute of Sunday’s 2-1 win over Crystal Palace.
The case itself stems from an arrest following an altercation during a family holiday in Mykonos in August 2020, after a fight outside a bar. In related findings noted in the context, Joe Maguire and Chris Sharman were also convicted in connection with the same matter, with Sharman convicted on the same charges except attempted bribery, and all three men denied the charges.
Key facts from the retrial outcome
- Sentence: 15-month suspended prison sentence issued by a Greek court
- Counts: non-serious assault, resisting arrest, attempted bribery
- Verdict: convicted on all three counts
- Change from original case: sentence reduced from an original 21-month suspended term; fine removed
- Next legal step stated: appeal planned to Greece’s Supreme Civil and Criminal Court
- Attendance: not required to attend the retrial; not involved in the latest legal process
