Harry Maguire withdrawn from England squad following guilty verdict for aggravated assault and attempted bribery
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Your support makes all the difference.The FA has confirmed that Harry Maguire has been withdrawn from the England squad after the Manchester United captain was found guilty of aggravated assault, resisting arrest, and repeated attempts of bribery at a court hearing in Greece.
Maguire's case was heard in a Greek court on Tuesday after a brawl that erupted in Mykonos last week, with Maguire handed a suspended prison sentence of 21 months and 10 days by a panel of three judges, who cited the fact that it was his first offence.
The prosecution alleged Maguire pushed police officers at the scene of the incident and attempted to avoid arrest, before arriving at the police department where the 27-year-old said: “I am very rich, I can give you money, I can pay you, please let us go.”
Southgate named his squad on Tuesday afternoon and included Maguire, despite the fact that the case was still ongoing, but admitted his decision could change following the verdict and was ultimately left with no choice but to withdraw the defender.
A statement released by the Southgate read: "In light of this evening’s developments, I can confirm I have withdrawn Harry Maguire from the England squad for the matches against Iceland and Denmark.”
Following the verdict, Maguire insisted he was innocent and would appeal the judges' decision.
“Following the hearing today, I have instructed my legal team with immediate effect to inform the courts we will be appealing," he wrote in a statement. “I remain strong and confident regarding our innocence in this matter – if anything myself, family and friends are the victims.”
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