Shadow of Mykonos police attack hangs over England’s Harry Maguire as World Cup looms
He is hoping for England’s World Cup call-up before the tournament begins in just four weeks, but a shadow lingers on former captain Harry Maguire – his conviction for assaulting police two years ago.
His appeal is not due to be heard until next year and six officers who say they were assaulted are still awaiting an apology from him, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.
The lingering aftermath of the Mykonos brawl in August 2020 comes as England manager Gareth Southgate weighs whether to include Maguire in the squad for the tournament.
Footballer Harry Maguire exited a courthouse on the Greek island of Syros in August 2020
The £190,000-a-week Manchester United defender has been found guilty of assaulting up to six officers and then attempting to bribe them at a police station while on holiday with eight family and friends.
He was given a 21-month suspended sentence in 2020 but immediately appealed, which is due to be heard on June 3 next year on the neighboring island of Syros.
Under Greek law, Maguire, 29, will have no criminal record unless the sentence is upheld.
The footballer (pictured on holiday in Mykonos) was found guilty of assaulting and attempting to bribe the six police officers. He was sentenced to 21 months probation
Last night, Ioannis-Iakovos Paradissis, a lawyer for the officers, said: “Maguire must apologize for attacking officers who were doing their job. He must at least condemn violence in general.
“It’s what my customers want. But neither he nor Manchester United have done so. I’m confident we’ll win the case. Maguire’s people claim they have video footage of the incident on their phones, but I haven’t seen it yet. Nobody produced it.’
Maguire became the world’s most expensive defender when he was bought from Leicester City for £80m.
But his image was tarnished by the events of August 21, 2020 when he holidayed with a group including wife-to-be Fern Hawkins, 28, his sister Daisy, 24, and brother Joe, 26, for £29,000-one Week Villa in Mykonos. After drinking the day at a beach club, they headed to the exclusive Bonbonniere bar in Mykonos town center and reportedly spent thousands.
At midnight the bar closed and Maguire’s group waited outside for a van to take them back.
She and the police argue about what happened next. Days later, Maguire and his group were arguing with two other men when they were spotted by plainclothes police, according to court transcripts. Four officers tried to “calm the situation down,” police say. The two men walked away, but Maguire’s group “started creating problems.”
Harry Maguire and his wife-to-be Fern Hawkins are vacationing on the Greek island of Mykonos in August 2020
Maguire is said to have become abusive, telling officers: “F*** the police, f*** you all.”
As the court heard, his brother Joe hit one of the police officers. Police asked the Greek driver of the minibus to take the group to the police station while officers followed him. But the brothers are said to have run away at the train station and only stopped when the officers shouted at them.
Uniformed police officers went to arrest the Maguires, but according to the record, Maguire started pushing and manhandling them as they were being handcuffed. Inside the station, he is said to have shouted: “Fuck Greece, fuck the police.”
Cops claimed the star said: “I’m rich, I’m famous and I have a lot of money. I am the boss [sic] from Manchester. I’ll give you all the money you want.” Police said they believe he was offering bribes, not an immediate fine, his lawyers say.
But the court also heard evidence from Ashden Morley, a childhood friend who was with the group. He said the fight started after two “Albanian-looking” men tried to inject Maguire’s sister Daisy with a substance. He said the group thought they were going to a hospital when the van pulled up in a yard and several men tried to pull them out. Maguire and his brother ran away when they thought they were being kidnapped, he added.
Last night, Mr Paradissis questioned claims that men tried to inject Daisy, adding: “They didn’t mention it at the police station. Daisy never complained.”
Maguire was found guilty of assaulting police, resisting arrest and attempting to bribe, and received a 21-month suspended sentence. His brother and a friend, Chris Sharman, each received a 13-month suspended sentence.
When Maguire was told he hadn’t accepted that he had done anything wrong, Mr Paradissis said: “How arrogant is that? We have police officers who have been beaten. He can’t deny that.’
Last night, the spokesman for Manchester United and Maguire referred the MoS to a statement the club issued in August 2020: “Harry Maguire pleaded not guilty to all charges and continues to strongly plead his innocence.”
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11344769/Shadow-Mykonos-police-assault-hangs-Englands-Harry-Maguire-World-Cup-looms.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 Shadow of Mykonos police attack hangs over England’s Harry Maguire as World Cup looms
