Harry Maguire thought he was being ‘kidnapped’ as Greek cops 'cuffed him & hit leg with baton’ during Mykonos brawl

2020-08-27

AN EMOTIONAL Harry Maguire said he was "scared for his life" and refused to apologise as he spoke out for the first time on the Mykonos bar brawl.

The Man United captain feared he was being kidnapped and claimed Greek cops handcuffed him before bashing his legs with a baton.

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Breaking his silence, a defiant and emotional Harry told the BBC: "I did nothing wrong."

Maguire said plain clothes whacked him repeatedly and taunted him "your career is over, no more football, you won't play again".

"My initial thought, I thought we were getting kidnapped. We got down on our knees, we put our hands in the air, they just started hitting us," the 27-year-old said.

He went on: "They were hitting my leg saying my career's over, 'No more football. You won't play again'.

"And at this point I thought there is no chance these are police or I don't know who they are so I tried to run away, I was in that much of a panic, fear, scared for my life. All the way through it."

Harry also gave chillingly details as he claimed two men approached his little sister Daisy, 20, in a bar before she was seemingly drugged.

He said: "These two men approached my little sister. They asked her where she was from. She responded.

"My fiancée Fern saw her eyes going to the back of her head, she was fainting, going in and out of consciousness."

Maguire said he was trying to take her to hospital when he was arrested following the fracas.

The England defender has vowed to clear his name after he was was convicted of brawling with cops on the Greek island last week.

The footie star went on: "I don't wish it on anybody. Obviously the situation has made it difficult for one of the biggest clubs in the world, so I regret putting the fans and the club through this."

He added: "I found myself in a situation where it could have happened to anybody and anywhere."

Speaking in the interview, Maguire denied throwing any punches and rubbished claims he tried to bribe the police saying "do you know who I am?".

When asked about that, he replied: "No, for sure. As soon as I saw that statement, it's just ridiculous."

Yesterday, Maguire’s lawyers lodged an appeal against his Greece assault and cop bribery convictions as the footie star said his "conscience is so clear".

The move nullifies the initial verdict and means there will be a retrial in a more senior court.

But the Three Lions star is expected to keep the Man Utd captaincy, may wait three years for it to be heard.

Maguire is the most expensive defender in the football history having transferred from Leicester City to Man United for around £80 million last season.

Pals had claimed Maguire and his group — arrested at the weekend — were given a “welcome” by up to eight men armed with batons when they arrived at a police station in Mykonos.

Authorities refused to allow medical evidence gathered by his legal team which detailed bruising he sustained.

Phone footage which showed Maguire’s pals confronting two Albanians who allegedly tried to inject his sister Daisy, 20, with a drug was also not allowed to be submitted.

Earlier today, Maguire was spotted for the first time since his trial as he broke cover at a hotel in Europe

Maguire looked casual in a blue polo shirt, shorts and a baseball cap with a face mask on.

A source said: “Harry is very disappointed at how things played out in court.

"His team was given two hours to examine a 50-page prosecution file.

“They repeatedly asked for an adjournment but weren’t given one.

"The trial went on until late and it makes everyone think that the authorities were determined to deal with the case, whether it had due process or not.

“Harry is confident that the appeals process will provide him with the opportunity to clear his name.”

Another pal said Maguire was “hellbent on clearing his name”, adding: “He respects the legal process.”

Maguire's family and friends have leapt to his defence after the trial on Tuesday.

Fiancee and mum of his two kids, Fern Hawkins, shared a tweet posted by Love Island's Chris Hughes insisting the truth will come out.

Chris, who was on the Greek island with the family, posted: "I pray when the truth comes out the horrendous ordeal that Harry and his family have been through in Greece will be a firm reminder that situations shouldn't be judged by anybody until they know anything.

"They're the most genuine, lovely family, who've lived through a horror film."

The tweet was also shared by Maguire's sister Daisy, who was said to be injected with a rape drug before the brawl erupted.

Manchester United insisted their skipper now has no conviction or criminal record and is innocent.

Brother Joe Maguire, who was convicted alongside the defender, also shared it in an Instagram story.

Maguire was found guilty of assault, attacking a cop, attempted bribery and verbal assault after a marathon seven-hour court session on the Greek island of Syros last night.

The £85million England player avoided jail and being hit with a fine as he was convicted of all charges in a Greek court.

But a lawyer for two of the six policemen involved in the case called the defender a "disgrace" and accused him of "inventing a pack of lies" after the initial verdict.

Ioannis Paradissis told MailOnline: "Maguire and his friends invented a story about Albanians attacking his sister.

"I've never heard such rubbish. This was a shameful attempt to cover up their disgusting behaviour and an insult to Albanians and the Greek police.

"He should hang his head in shame and return to Greece to apologise."

But bosses at Utd said: "An appeal against yesterday’s verdict was lodged this morning by Harry’s legal team.

"In accordance with the Greek judicial process, the filing of an appeal extinguishes the initial court verdict and nullifies the conviction.

"The appeal has been accepted and will lead to a full retrial in a more senior court.

"This means that Harry has no criminal record and is once again presumed innocent until proven guilty."

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