Greek Court Upholds Guilty Verdict for Maguire With Reduced Suspended Sentence
Syros, Wednesday, 4 March 2026.
Concluding a six-year legal saga, the court upheld Maguire’s conviction but reduced his suspended sentence to 15 months, prompting an immediate appeal to the Supreme Court.
Verdict Details and Sentence Reduction
On Wednesday, March 4, 2026, the court in Syros delivered its verdict regarding the incident that took place in Mykonos in August 2020 [1][2]. The 32-year-old Manchester United center-back was found guilty of non-serious assault, resisting arrest, and attempted bribery [1][2]. While the conviction upholds the charges from the initial trial, the sentence has been mitigated; Maguire received a 15-month suspended sentence, a reduction of 6 months from the original 21-month sentence handed down previously [1][2]. Additionally, the fine that accompanied the original sentence has been removed [1][2].
A Long Road to Resolution
This ruling comes after a protracted legal process characterized by multiple delays. The retrial was finally held at the fifth attempt, following four previous postponements [1][2]. The most recent delay occurred in October 2025, caused by court documents not being translated into English [1]. Throughout this six-year period, Maguire has vehemently denied any wrongdoing [1]. It is worth noting that the defender refused multiple opportunities to settle the case via a financial offer, maintaining a determination to clear his name through legal channels rather than monetary settlement [1].
Legal Strategy and Future Implications
Despite the reduced sentence, the legal battle is not over for the England international. Maguire’s legal team has confirmed they will appeal the verdict to the Greek Supreme Civil and Criminal Court [1][2]. The proceedings on Wednesday saw only one of the three police witnesses appear in court, with Greek lawyers stating the others were not required as they had provided written statements [1]. In terms of his immediate professional commitments for his NYSE-listed club, Maguire was not required to attend the hearing in person and has been preparing for Manchester United’s Premier League match against Newcastle United scheduled for Wednesday evening [1][2].