Manchester United Captain Harry Maguire Convicted Again in Greek Court Over 2020 Mykonos Incident
Manchester, 4 March 2026
Harry Maguire received a reduced 15-month suspended prison sentence after a Greek court found him guilty of non-serious assault, resisting arrest, and attempted bribery stemming from a 2020 altercation in Mykonos. The Manchester United captain’s original 21-month sentence was reduced following his retrial, which had been postponed four times since 2023. Despite maintaining his innocence throughout the four-year legal battle, Maguire now faces his second conviction for the same charges, though the suspended nature means he avoids imprisonment unless he reoffends.
Legal Saga Reaches Second Conviction
The conviction on Wednesday represents the second time Maguire has been found guilty of the same charges, following a complex legal process that highlights key differences between Greek and British criminal justice systems [1]. The 32-year-old defender was convicted on all three counts: non-serious assault, resisting arrest, and attempted bribery [2]. His sentence was reduced from the original 21 months and 10 days handed down in 2020, when he was initially found guilty of repeated bodily harm, attempted bribery, violence against public employees and insult [1]. The court also imposed a €1,500 fine alongside the suspended prison term [3].
Greek Legal System Enables Fresh Start
Under Greek law, Maguire’s appeal against his original 2020 conviction automatically nullified the verdict and triggered a complete retrial [1]. This differs markedly from the British system, where appeals typically examine whether legal errors occurred rather than reassessing facts [1]. The retrial process had been significantly delayed, with proceedings postponed on four occasions between 2023 and 2025 due to procedural issues including lawyer strikes, scheduling problems, and untranslated court documents [1][2]. The case finally concluded on the island of Syros on Wednesday, with only one of three police witnesses attending court in person, though lawyers confirmed the absent officers had already provided written statements [2].
Prosecution Demands Wider Consequences
Greek prosecution lawyer Ioannis Paradissis expressed strong criticism of Maguire’s conduct throughout the legal proceedings, stating: ‘Today, the court upheld the conviction and justice was done…Not once has Maguire shown any remorse’ [3]. Paradissis has called upon football authorities to take disciplinary action, arguing: ‘It is incompatible with the values of sport, and with the role-model status that elite athletes are expected to embody, for a person with a criminal record for violence to continue to appear as a Premier League player and as a public figure looked up to by young fans across the world’ [3]. The prosecution lawyer hopes the FA will examine the matter and impose appropriate sanctions given Maguire’s conviction for violence [3].