Former Manchester United footballer and ex-Wales manager, Ryan Giggs, has been cleared of all charges relating to an alleged assault on his ex-girlfriend, Kate Greville, and her sister, Emma.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) withdrew the charges against Giggs during a hearing at Manchester Crown Court, putting an end to a nearly three-year legal battle.
The case garnered significant media attention, and the retrial, which was scheduled to start later this month, will no longer proceed.
Ryan Giggs faced three charges, including assault and controlling or coercive behavior towards Kate Greville, as well as assaulting her sister, Emma.
The incidents were said to have taken place on November 1, 2020, at his home in Worsley, Greater Manchester. The former footballer vehemently denied these allegations throughout the legal process.
The initial trial, which spanned four weeks in August of the previous year, failed to reach verdicts despite more than 20 hours of jury deliberation.
The jury, consisting of 11 people after one juror fell ill, could not reach a unanimous decision, leading to the discharge of the trial.
With a retrial looming on the horizon, the CPS decided to withdraw the charges against Ryan Giggs. Judge Hilary Manley directed that the football legend was not guilty on all three counts.
This decision put an end to a lengthy legal battle that had been ongoing for nearly three years.
Ryan Giggs’ defence barrister, Chris Daw KC, expressed the former footballer’s relief that the case had finally come to an end.
Giggs had been fighting to clear his name since the allegations surfaced, and he can now move forward as an innocent man.
The football icon has expressed his intention to rebuild his life and career, which had been overshadowed by the allegations.
Throughout the trial, Ryan Giggs maintained his innocence, denying any form of physical assault or coercive behaviour towards women.
While he admitted to being unfaithful in relationships, he strongly denied ever resorting to violence or attempting to control or coerce anyone.
When questioned about the alleged assault on November 1, 2020, Giggs refuted the accusations and asserted that Kate Greville had kicked him in the head during the altercation.
Ryan Giggs is undeniably one of the most celebrated footballers in history. His remarkable career saw him make 963 appearances for Manchester United, scoring an impressive 168 goals.
Additionally, he represented Wales 64 times as a player before taking on the role of the national team’s manager. Unfortunately, his tenure as Wales manager came to an end in June 2022, amid the ongoing legal proceedings.
