MARK Wright has publicly defended Harry Maguire and told people to “back off” if they don’t know the truth.
The Manchester United star, 27, was convicted over a brawl with cops on the Greek island of Mykonos last week but has vowed to clear his name.
Harry today insisted he wasn’t drunk during the scrap and thought he was being kidnapped as he tried to take his sister to hospital after she was allegedly drugged in a bar.
TV presenter Mark, 33, tagged the footballer in a post on Instagram earlier and said he knew Harry personally, telling fans not to judge him.
He wrote over a picture of Harry and his fiancee Fern Hawkins: “You will get through it guys. @harrymagure93 one of the nicest fellas I have ever met. Not a bad defender too”
Harry was found guilty of repeated bodily harm, attempted bribery, violence against public employees and insulting behaviour after his arrest in the brawl during which two police officers were assaulted.
Harry’s family and friends have leapt to his defence after the trial on Tuesday.
Another pal said he is “hellbent on clearing his name”, adding: “He respects the legal process.”
Fiancee and mum of his two kids, Fern Hawkins, shared a tweet posted by Love Island‘s Chris Hughes insisting the truth will come out.
Chris, who was on the Greek island with the family, posted: “I pray when the truth comes out the horrendous ordeal that Harry and his family have been through in Greece will be a firm reminder that situations shouldn’t be judged by anybody until they know anything.
“They’re the most genuine, lovely family, who’ve lived through a horror film.”
The tweet was also shared by Maguire’s sister Daisy, who was said to be injected with a rape drug before the brawl erupted.
Brother Joe Maguire, who was convicted alongside the defender, also shared it in on Instagram.
Manchester United insisted their skipper now has no conviction or criminal record and is innocent.
Bosses at United said: “An appeal against yesterday’s verdict was lodged this morning by Harry’s legal team.
“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.”
Meanwhile, a lawyer for two of the six policemen involved in the case called the defender a “disgrace” and accused him of “inventing a pack of lies” after the initial verdict.
Ioannis Paradissis told MailOnline: “Maguire and his friends invented a story about Albanians attacking his sister.
“I’ve never heard such rubbish. This was a shameful attempt to cover up their disgusting behaviour and an insult to Albanians and the Greek police.
“He should hang his head in shame and return to Greece to apologise.”
