In august 2020, Harry Maguire was arrested following an altercation involving his family outside a bar on Mykonos island, Greece. The then 32-year-old defender received a sentence of 21 months and 10 days in prison, convicted of repeated bodily harm, attempted bribery, resisting arrest, and insulting police officers. However, the sentence was suspended as it was his first offense.

Following that verdict, Maguire's legal team filed an appeal. Under Greek law, an appeal nullifies the initial sentence, leading to a complete retrial.

Maguire wearing a hat to cover his face while leaving the court on Syros island, morning of 22/8/2020. Photo: EPA.

After four delays for various reasons between 2023 and 2025, the retrial finally recommenced in Syros, near Mykonos island, on 4/3. The court found Maguire guilty of less severe assault, resisting arrest, and attempted bribery. Due to the minor nature of the offenses, the defender's penalty was reduced to a 15-month suspended sentence. The fine previously imposed on the England international was also abolished.

Sources from BBC Sport indicate that Maguire continues to deny all wrongdoing and plans to appeal to the Greek Supreme Court. This appeal will once again immediately nullify the latest verdict issued by the court on Syros island. Maguire has rejected several opportunities to settle the case out of court, determined to legally clear his name.

In the original case, prosecutors reportedly told Maguire and his co-defendants, including his brother Joe Maguire and Christopher Sharman, that they would be released if they apologized for their actions. However, all consistently refused, seeking complete exoneration.

Maguire was detained after plainclothes police officers intervened to break up a brawl outside the bar. At the 2020 preliminary hearing, these officers testified that they were punched and insulted by Maguire and two others, with the group repeatedly shouting abusive remarks at the police.

The court also heard testimony that Maguire later attempted to bribe them, stating: "Do you know who I am? I am the captain of Man Utd, I am very rich, I can give you money, I can pay you, please let us go". The defender denied the bribery allegations, asserting he did not know they were police officers as they were not in uniform.

Maguire running to the corner flag to celebrate after heading in a goal to make it 5-4 for Man Utd in their victory over Lyon in the Europa League quarter-final second leg at Old Trafford on 17/4/2025. Photo: AFP.

Maguire's lawyer argued at the preliminary hearing that the altercation began when a group of Albanian men allegedly injected his then 20-year-old sister, Daisy Maguire, with a sedative. Lawyer Alexis Anagnostakis stated that the incident escalated when Maguire's sister fainted after two men approached her and injected her with a "forced serum".

Ashden Morley, a friend of the Maguire family present at the scene, testified to the court that Daisy was approached by two men "who appeared to be Albanian" when some of the group left the bar to buy food around midnight. "They kept following Daisy", Morley stated. "Fern (Maguire's wife) then noticed Daisy's eyes rolling back and rushed over. She began having convulsions. All the women screamed, and others ran over, creating a chaotic scene".

Morley also stated that the conflict with the police arose when the group hurriedly boarded a minibus to take Daisy to the hospital. "The car we were in stopped, and the door was yanked open by a man", he testified in court in 2020. "We thought we were being robbed or kidnapped. Everyone was terrified. I looked out of the car and saw Harry and Christopher kneeling on the ground, hands in the air, but still being kicked and stomped on. All the women in the car were panicked and crying hysterically".

Key differences between the Greek and English legal systems

Maguire's retrial has highlighted key differences between the Greek and English criminal justice systems, explaining why an incident from 2020 is only now being re-examined.

Under Greek law, when a defendant appeals a verdict from a lower criminal court, that ruling is automatically nullified, and the case is retried from the beginning. Unlike the United Kingdom, where appeals typically focus on reviewing whether there were legal errors in the initial trial, Greek appellate courts re-evaluate all case facts and reconsider all evidence.

This retrial experienced multiple postponements due to procedural issues, including lawyer strikes and scheduling conflicts, reflecting severe case backlogs in many Greek courts.

Furthermore, Maguire was not required to be physically present at the hearing. In Greece, defendants in cases of this nature can be represented by their lawyers. Another factor is Greece's statute of limitations for criminal liability: for these types of offenses, legal proceedings must conclude within 8 years, meaning the case will expire in 8/2028 if not definitively resolved before then.

Ha Phuong (according to BBC Sport, The Times)