Harry Maguire has given an official interview with BBC News this evening after remaining quiet following his arrest in Mykonos. The defender was originally found guilty after a rushed trial and given a suspended prison sentence. That decision has since been overturned and a retrial will take place.

Maguire spent two nights in a prison cell and has spoken about what that was like.

It was horrible. It’s not something I ever want to do again. I don’t wish it on anybody. It’s the first time I’ve ever been inside a prison. I don’t feel like I owe an apology to anybody. An apology is when you’ve done something wrong. I regret being in the situation. The situation has made it difficult. I play for one of the biggest clubs in the world, so I regret putting the fans and the club through this.

When asked did he accept that he was asking for trouble being in that place that night, Maguire was adamant he had done nothing wrong.

No. I think it could have happened anywhere. I love Greece. I think us footballers get a bit of stick for trying to stay away from everything and the public eye. It’s not how I want to live my life.

A visibly moved Maguire spoke about the events that preceded the incident with the police, talking about what had happened to his younger sister Daisy.

These two men approached my little sister. They asked her where she was from, she responded, then my fiancee Fern saw my little sister’s eyes go in to the back of her head. She ran over and she was fainting, she was in and out of consciousness. Sorry.

Maguire trailed off with the tears building in his eyes and he was unable to continue talking about his sister. He then discussed his altercation with the police.

My initial thoughts were that we were getting kidnapped. We got down on our knees and put our hands in the air. They started hitting us. He got one of my hands in the handcuff and they were hitting my legs, saying my career’s over, no more football, you won’t play again. And at this point I thought there’s no chance. Are 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. [I feared for my life] all the way through it.

Three police officers claimed that Maguire said to them: “Do you know who I am? I am the captain of Manchester United, I am very rich, I can give you money, I can pay you, please let us go.” Maguire categorically denied doing anything of the sort.

No, for sure. As soon as I saw that statement, it’s just ridiculous. It’s a massive privilege to play for the club let alone be the captain. It’s not my decision to make. I have the great faith that the retrial will give us more time to prepare, gather the evidence, allow witnesses in to the court, and I’m really confident the truth will be told and come out.




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