Harry Maguire's account in BBC interview labelled 'ridiculous' and 'insulting' as Manchester United star refuses to apologise

The lawyer who secured a guilty verdict against Harry Maguire has denounced his “ridiculous” account of how he came to be charged with aggravated assault, resisting arrest and attempted bribery.

Ioannis Paradissis hit out at Maguire following the Manchester United captain’s first interview since he was handed a 21-month suspended prison sentence by a Greek court.

Maguire told BBC News on Thursday that he thought he and others were being kidnapped by fake police in Mykonos and that he had tried to run away in fear for his life after being hit on the legs and told: “You won’t play again.”

Paradissis told MailOnline: “I’ve seen and read what Maguire said and it’s ridiculous and only adds further insult to the harm he caused the policemen he attacked and the Greek justice system as a whole.

“Maguire claims that he feared he was being kidnapped, yet his response is to run away and call his agent, leaving behind his fiancé, brothers and sister and childhood friends. Even if you accepted this as true, which I don’t, these are not the actions of an honourable man.”

Maguire said he had been taken by minibus to what it later transpired was a police station.

Paradissis added: “Maguire claims that when the minibus stopped, he did not know that it was outside a police station. I would urge all people to have a look at Mykonos police station. It is clearly obvious what this place is either during the day or night.

“There are many police cars parked outside it at night, there is a sign stating that it is a police station and there are officers coming in and outside of the building. The only way you would not be able tell if it was not a police station is if you are very drunk.

“But clearly, he was not that drunk, because according to him he was able to fight off a group of men who he thought were kidnappers and try and escape. If he had the clarity of mind to do that then obviously, he would have also been able to see that the minibus had pulled up outside a police station.”

Paradissis criticised the BBC for not probing Maguire more deeply over claims the whole affair had begun when his sister, Daisy, had been injected with a date-rape drug by two Albanian men, questioning how the group would know their nationality.

He added: “And where is our apology for his behaviour? Three policemen were injured and had to be treated at hospital. A rich man came to Mykonos and thought that he could behave how he wants. He then goes on an international television channel to justify his actions and there is not a single sorry to us in anything he says.”

Paradissis, who says he has received threats and insults from Maguire’s supporters over his own involvement in the case, added that the defender’s appeal did not mean his conviction did not stand.

He said it was now idle and that Maguire, who denies the charges and is currently appealing the conviction, would not be given a criminal record unless his appeal failed.

Following the lodging of that appeal, United said in a statement: “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.

“Accordingly, he is not subject to any international travel restrictions.”