Harry Maguire fans sent threats to Greek prosecution lawyer
Harry Maguire’s fans sent lawyer who prosecuted him in Greece ‘disgusting’ threats and insults to him and his family
- EXCLUSIVE: Lawyer Ioannis Paradissis said that the messages were ‘disgusting’
- He said the anger should be turned on the fallen Manchester United star, not him
- ‘I have had insulting and threatening messages from UK saying I will be harmed’
- The defender was found guilty of aggravated assault, resisting arrest and bribery
- Maguire handed a 21-month suspended prison sentence on Tuesday afternoon
By Shekhar Bhatia and Vivek Chaudhary and Anthee Carassava For Mailonline
Published: 13:54 EDT, 27 August 2020 | Updated: 04:14 EDT, 28 August 2020
The lawyer who prosecuted Harry Maguire for assaulting police revealed today he had received threats and insults from supporters of the footballer from the UK.
Lawyer Ioannis Paradissis said he found the messages ‘disgusting’ and said the anger should be turned on the fallen Manchester United star and not him.
He told MailOnline: ‘I’m appalled that people can say such things and defend the actions of Harry Maguire. They should be angry with him, not me.
‘I have had insulting and threatening messages from the UK saying I will be harmed.
‘These people have been calling me and the Greek legal system a disgrace but they don’t even know the full facts of the case.’
Lawyer Ioannis Paradissis (pictured) said he found the messages ‘disgusting’ and said the anger should be turned on the fallen Manchester United star and not him
Harry Maguire is pictured above leaving the court building on the Aegean Island of Syros on Saturday
He continued: ‘They have found my email and have written disgusting things about me and my family.
‘My email is easy to find on the internet. I really hope that it ends soon because this is no way for people to behave.
‘I have done many cases over the years in Syros but nothing as high profile as Maguire’s trial.’
He added: ‘My only interest is to uphold justice and I do not deserve to be abused for this.’
Mr Paradissis was also defended by lawyers on Syros where Maguire was found guilty of aggravated assault, resisting arrest and bribery.
He was handed a 21-month suspended prison sentence on Tuesday afternoon, for the fracas on the Greek holiday island of Mykonos.
The centre-back broke cover at a hotel in Europe today where he was spotted wearing a face covering, cap, shorts and blue polo shirt.
The Syros Bar Association condemned the ‘deluge’ of hate mail received by the prosecution lawyer who represented police.
Albanian diplomats also hit out at Maguire’s defence strategy where his only witness to give evidence claimed they had been confronted by men from that country.
Maguire’s long-time friend Ashden Morley said that Harry’s sister Daisy had been approached by ‘two Albanian looking men’ as some of the group went to buy burgers and kebabs at around midnight.
He claimed Daisy was later showing signs of being ill and ‘fitting’ after the men had chatted to her.
Asked in court how he could have been sure of the two men’s nationality, Mr. Morley said: ‘Because they looked it and had an Albanian nature.’
Ermal Soulai, President of the Albanian Community in Greece, slammed the comments in court saying they were ‘comical.’
Harry Maguire’s case could hang over his head for up to three years before an appeal against his assault conviction is heard again. Pictured: His father and friends leaving court on Tuesday
He added: ‘When I first heard the remark, I laughed. I said here we go again, playing up the racist and stereotype card.
‘But the fact of the matter is that I laughed because the argument as a line of defence is now pretty much passe.
‘When Albanians first came here 25 and 30 years ago, it was the most common excuse to blame a situation on. We were the boogie monsters.
‘But as we have assimilated within Greek society, and as we are now into the first generation Greek Albanians, that go-to blame game has largely faded.
‘I am not saying that there are not Albanian gangs and criminals operating in certain parts of the country.
‘And I am not saying that Albanians may not have been involved in the particular case.
Maguire’s village in Mykonos overlooks the golden coastline of popular Paradise and Paraga Beaches – the island’s two most famous beaches
‘But just thrown out there with no evidence, had everyone laughing. How exactly does an Albanian behave that a British tourist immediately deciphers? It’s not racist. It is comical.’
Maguire has said he would appeal against his conviction and denied all the charges against him.
His brother Joe, 28, was found guilty of repeated bodily harm, violence against public employees and attempted bribery.
Their friend Christopher Sharman was found guilty of insult, repeated bodily harm and violence against public employees.
Both men were sentenced to 13 months in prison, suspended for three years.
The £85million defender – who was not present in court – protested his innocence, with plans to appeal the verdict handed down by the Greek courts.
He said: ‘I have instructed my legal team with immediate effect to inform the courts we will be appealing.
‘I remain strong and confident regarding our innocence in this matter – if anything myself, family and friends are the victims.’
Hours after his conviction, Maguire posted a quote attributed to Buddha on his Instagram that read: ‘Three things cannot be long hidden – the sun, the moon and the truth.’
