A DEFIANT Harry Maguire has denied being drunk during the Mykonos brawl and said: “I can handle a few drinks”.
Speaking out for the first time since the incident, the Manchester United star insisted he was “in control” during the bust-up with Greek cops.
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Maguire denied being drunk during the Mykonos brawlCredit: Reuters
Speaking out for the first time since the incident he admitted he “had a few drinks”
In his first interview since the brawl, Maguire admitted to having “a few drinks” – but said he remained totally in control of himself throughout the night.
He told the BBC: “I’m not going to sit here and say I didn’t have a drink all day.
“I had a few drinks.
“Anyone who knows me who has been out with me knows how I am after I have a few drinks.”
I’m not going to sit here and say I didn’t have a drink all day
Harry Maguire
Maguire added: “I am always aware; I always stay in control.
“I definitely wasn’t drunk. I knew what was going off.
“I just found myself in a bad situation.”
An emotional Harry also refused to apologise for the incident, adding: “I did nothing wrong.”
“I don’t feel like I owe an apology to anybody. An apology is something when you’ve done something wrong.”
Maguire said he found himself in a “bad situation” Credit: INTIME NEWS
During the interview, Maguire also categorically denied offering a bribe to Greek cops during the brawl – insisting he was “too distraught” to do so.
The Man United star said he feared he was being kidnapped as he claimed that plain clothes cops whacked him repeatedly and taunted: “your career is over, no more football, you won’t play again”.
He said: “There was definitely no bribe involved.
“At that moment we were sat in the entrance of the prison, we were so distraught, we were crying.
“We still didn’t believe where we were.”
We were sat in the entrance of the prison, we were so distraught, we were crying
Harry Maguire
Maguire denied throwing any punches and rubbished claims he tried to bribe the police saying “do you know who I am?”.
He responded: “I knew they knew who I was.
“Five minutes before they were beating me up saying my career is over, so I knew they knew who I was.
“As soon as I saw that statement… just ridiculous.”
Harry Maguire spoke to the BBC’s sports editor Dan Roan
In the interview, Maguire also said he was “scared for his life” during the brawl, and feared he was being kidnapped.
He said: “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 is over, ‘No more football. You won’t play again’.
I thought we were getting kidnapped. We got down on our knees, we put our hands in the air, they just started hitting us.
Harry Maguire
“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.”
He continued: “I don’t want to call them police because I’ve got a lot of respect for police.
“They weren’t police”.
HARRY SPEAKS OUT
Harry also gave a chilling account as he claimed two men approached his little sister Daisy, 20, in a bar – an event which pals have claimed sparked the fracas.
Voice breaking with emotion, he said: “My fiancee 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.
I don’t feel like I owe an apology to anybody. An apology is something when you’ve done something wrong
Harry Maguire
The England defender has vowed to clear his name after he was convicted over the scrap with cops on the Greek island last week.
Maguire was found guilty of repeated bodily harm, attempted bribery, violence against public employees and insulting behaviour after his arrest in the brawl during which two police officers were assaulted.
Harry Maguire spoke of his horror as his sister Daisy drifted in an out of consciousness Credit: BBC
He also told of his horror at spending the night in a Greek prison cell.
Harry said: “It was horrible. It’s not something I ever want to do again.
I regret putting the fans and the club through this.
Harry Maguire
“I don’t wish it on anybody. It’s the first time I’d ever been inside a prison.”
Harry went on: “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.”
Harry Maguire spotted for the first time since his trial
Harry Maguire and his sister DaisyCredit: Refer to Caption
Maguire said his “conscience is so clear” and yesterday his lawyers lodged an appeal against his convictions.
The move nullifies the initial verdict and means there will be a retrial in a more senior court.
The former Sheffield United, Hull and Leicester player Maguire is not certain he will remain United captain but is positive “the truth will be told” in the retrial.
He said: “It’s a massive privilege to play for the club, never mind to be captain. It’s not my decision to make.”
I have great faith in the Greek law, the retrial will give us more time to prepare, gather the evidence, allow witnesses into the court.
Harry Maguire
“I have great faith in the Greek law, the retrial will give us more time to prepare, gather the evidence, allow witnesses into the court.”
Maguire is the most expensive defender in the football history having transferred from Leicester City to Man United for around £85 million last season.
However, he was was dropped from Gareth Southgate’s England squad having initially been included before his conviction on Tuesday.
Pals had claimed Maguire and his group — arrested last 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, The Sun exclusively revealed 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.
Maguire looked casual in a blue polo shirt and a baseball cap with a face mask
Pals have said Harry Maguire is confident he can clear his name
Daisy Maguire seen in Sheffield this morning after flying back from GreeceCredit: Mark Waugh
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.”
Maguire’s family and friends have leapt to his defence after the trial on Tuesday.
Another pal said Maguire is “hellbent on clearing his name”, adding: “He respects the legal process.”
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.
‘HORROR FILM’
“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.
Brother Joe Maguire, who was convicted alongside the defender, also shared it in on Instagram.
Manchester United insisted their skipper now has no conviction or criminal record and is innocent.
Harry Maguire and his fiancee Fern Hawkins in Mykonos Credit: Instagram / @_fernhawkins
Bosses at United 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.”
Meanwhile, 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.”
Manchester United defended their captain in a passionate statement on Tuesday evening
Man Utd say Harry Maguire is set for Greek brawl re-trial after appeal lodged and conviction quashed
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
