A Greek appeals court has sentenced Manchester United and England defender Harry Maguire to a 15-month and 20-day suspended prison term following a retrial linked to a violent incident on the island of Mykonos in 2020. The ruling marks the latest development in a legal battle that has stretched nearly six years as the footballer attempted to overturn his conviction.
The decision was delivered by a three judge appeals panel sitting on the island of Syros. The court upheld the player’s conviction for offences including non serious assault, resisting arrest and attempted bribery during an altercation that occurred while he was holidaying in Greece.
Although the defender was originally given a suspended sentence of 21 months and 10 days when the case was first heard in 2020, the appeals court reduced the punishment to 15 months due to the lesser severity of the charges confirmed at retrial. The court also imposed a fine of €1,500 as part of the ruling.
The legal proceedings stem from an incident in August 2020 when Maguire, his brother Joe and a friend were arrested following a late night confrontation outside a bar in Mykonos. Greek authorities alleged that the group assaulted police officers and attempted to bribe them during the altercation. The three men were detained for two days after the incident before appearing in court.
Prosecutors representing the police officers involved welcomed the outcome of the retrial. Lawyer Ioannis Paradissis, who represented the officers, said the verdict confirmed the earlier judgment and expressed disappointment that the player had never apologised. He noted that the officers involved in the incident sustained injuries and continued to seek acknowledgment for what occurred that night.
Maguire’s defence team strongly disputed the accusations during the proceedings. Lawyers argued that the defender believed he was being abducted when plain clothes police intervened during the confrontation. According to the defence, the player reacted in panic after the situation escalated suddenly.
The case has been marked by a series of delays and repeated hearings. Under Greek legal procedures, the appeal filed by Maguire after the original conviction automatically nullified that ruling, triggering a complete retrial. The process was postponed several times between 2023 and 2025 before the appeals court finally reconvened to deliver its judgment in 2026.
Despite the conviction, the sentence remains suspended, meaning the defender will not serve time in prison unless he commits another offence during the suspension period. Legal experts say the ruling effectively maintains the guilty verdict while reducing the severity of the penalty compared with the initial sentence issued in 2020.
Maguire, who was not present in court when the verdict was delivered, continues to maintain his innocence. His legal representatives have indicated that they intend to challenge the ruling at Greece’s Supreme Court. However, such appeals are limited to questions of law rather than a full reconsideration of the evidence presented in the case.
Throughout the legal process, the England international has consistently rejected opportunities to settle the case outside court, insisting that he wants to clear his name through the judicial system.
While the ruling represents a significant moment in the long running case, it has not immediately disrupted Maguire’s professional commitments. The 32 year old continued preparing with Manchester United and was expected to feature in a Premier League fixture against Newcastle United shortly after the court’s decision.
The case remains unresolved in legal terms as Maguire pursues another appeal, meaning the final outcome could still be determined by Greece’s highest court in the coming years. For now, the suspended sentence and conviction represent the latest chapter in one of the most high profile legal cases involving a professional footballer in recent years.