Manchester United centre half, Harry Maguire has been released on bail as following an alleged case of assault and attempting to bribe police as the England international holidayed in the Greek Island of Mykonos.
Maguire was released after two nights in a police cell and a trial is scheduled for August 25 with Greek prosecutors making it clear that they will press charges.
It has been claimed that Maguire attacked and then attempted to bribe police officers following a late night confrontation with two other Britons, aged 28 and 29 on the island of Mykonos.
Prosecutors on the neighbouring island of Syros say the Manchester United captain and one of the two other men who were arrested also stand formally accused of “multiple instances of attempted bribery” following their arrest.
Maguire, his friend and a family member, who was not named by Greek officials, are all accused of “multiple instances of physical harm and multiple instances of revilement (shouting expletives against officers)”.
All the offences are “misdemeanours”, officers said, and the three have been released after two nights in a police cell.
A trial is scheduled for August 25. Maguire refused to comment to journalists as he left court after a brief hearing on the island of Syros, where he had been held overnight.
His lawyer Constantinos Darivas had earlier told Greek sports website gazzetta.gr that the England centre-back denied the charges against him, and was in “fine condition” despite spending two nights in detention following his Thursday night arrest.
Greek TV channel Mega said Maguire’s father had flown to Greece to be at his son’s side.
The description by prosecutors that the allegations against Maguire, 27, are “misdemeanours” rules out fears that he could be accused of aggravated assault – a crime which carries a sentence of two years imprisonment.
United had vowed to establish the circumstances around the arrest after local police claimed on Friday that Maguire and two other men had committed “attempted assault against officers, insubordination, bodily harm, revilement and attempted bribery”.
The bribery offence was said to relate to one of the two other men who were arrested with him in the early hours.
Maguire was seen with Marcus Rashford and Brandon Williams during the day on the island – a popular post-season destination for Premier League footballers – but his team-mates were not involved in the alleged assault later that evening.
According to witnesses, a confrontation occurred when two strangers started shouting outside a van in which Maguire and the two other men were sitting. When the three got out of the vehicle, a scuffle ensued before police broke up the incident and then allegedly came under attack.
“The policemen that intervened were secret police, in plain clothes, so it is possible that Maguire and his friends did not understand that they were police officers,” one source close to the investigation claimed.
“One of the men allegedly attempted to bribe the police when they were taken in the precinct.”
The incident raises question marks over whether the £190,000-a-week player will be picked for next month’s England internationals. Maguire is in Gareth Southgate’s leadership group of senior players who come together to make decisions while on international duty. United, meanwhile, made contact with Maguire on Friday morning and say the England centre-back is “fully cooperating” with police.
Sources in Mykonos say Maguire denies the allegations. Police previously said in a statement sent to the Telegraph that “three foreigners” had “attacked and traumatised police officers in Mykonos”.
“Three foreigners aged 27, 28 and 29 were arrested in Mykonos by officers of the Police Department of Mykonos and an in flagranto case has been made against them regarding attempted assault against officers, insubordination, bodily harm, revilement and attempted bribery,” the statement said.
“Specifically, during early morning hours, patrolling policemen in an area of Mykonos intervened and smoothed a conflict between citizens, but three foreigners involved in the incident turned against them, swearing against them and punching a policeman.
The three foreigners were taken to the Police Department of Mykonos, where during their arrival, they resisted arrest, pushing and hitting three policemen.
Afterwards, one of the detainees attempted to offer money so that the process against them is not completed.”
Police refused to state whether any of that group were with Maguire later that evening.
