Harry Maguire: Manchester United captain pleads not guilty to charges and flys home from Greece

The United captain was one of three men arrested on the island of Mykonos in the early hours of Friday morning

Mark Critchley
Northern Football Correspondent
Saturday 22 August 2020 09:25 EDT
Manchester United have a lot of work left to do, says Solskjaer

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Manchester United have confirmed Harry Maguire has pleaded not guilty to charges following an alleged altercation with police while on holiday in Mykonos.

The United captain has been released from police custody pending a hearing which will be heard on the island of Syros on Tuesday.

Maguire will be represented at the hearing by his legal team, leaving him free to travel back to Manchester this weekend.

A United statement said: “Following the appearance in court today we note the adjournment of the case to allow the legal team to consider the case file.

“Harry has pleaded not guilty to the charges. It would be inappropriate for the player or club to comment further while the legal process takes its course.”

Maguire was one of three men arrested by police on the island of Mykonos in the early hours of Friday morning.

A statement by the Hellenic Police alleged that one of their officers was hit in an altercation with the three men, who later "resisted, pushing and beating" officers when transported to a police station.

"Three foreigners, aged 27, 28 and 29, were arrested today (August 21, 2020) in Mykonos by police officers of the Mykonos police department," the statement, released on Friday, read.

"Patrolling police officers in the area of Mykonos intervened and normalised a dispute between citizens, however, three foreigners involved in the incident turned against them, insulting and hitting a police officer with fists.

"The three foreigners were taken to the Mykonos police station, where upon their arrival they strongly resisted, pushing and beating three police officers.

"One of the detainees then tried to offer money so that the trial against them would not be completed. The arrested (men) were taken to the Syros prosecutor's office."

The police accuse the three men of "violence against officials, disobedience, bodily harm, insult and attempted bribery of an official".

Maguire appeared at court in Syros on Saturday afternoon and declined to answer questions as he left the hearing.

The 27-year-old had been enjoying an end-of-season break following United’s elimination from the Europa League at the hands of eventual winners Sevilla.

Team-mates Marcus Rashford and Brandon Williams are also holidaying in Mykonos but were not with Maguire on the evening of the alleged incident.

Maguire was handed United’s captaincy by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in January, only five months after joining from Leicester City for £80m – a world record fee for a defender.

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