Jury fail to reach a verdict on Ryan Giggs assault and coercive control case against ex-girlfriend

The jury in the trial of Ryan Giggs has failed to reach a decision about whether he assaulted his former girlfriend and her sister following a four-week trial.

The former Manchester United player and Wales boss could now face a retrial after the seven women and four men also could not decide if he had used coercive or controlling behaviour towards Kate Greville, 36, during their relationship.

After five days of deliberations Judge Hilary Manley dismissed the jury thanking them for their work.

The footballer remained emotionless in the dock as the jury was sent home after 22 hours and 59 minutes of deliberations, but put his head down as the possibility of a retrial was discussed.

Giggs' mother Lynne, who has been present for the whole trial, said her son's life "had been on hold for the past two years" as the allegations were brought to trial, adding the "torture goes on" at the news of a potential retrial.

Jurors first went out to consider verdicts late on the afternoon of 23 August. The jury of 12 was later reduced to 11 after one juror became sick and was discharged.

On Tuesday 30 August, Judge Manley gave the jury a majority direction, meaning they did not have to return unanimous verdicts agreed by all 11, but could return verdicts if a majority of 10-1 agreed.

But jurors were brought back into court on Wednesday afternoon and asked if they had reached any agreement on any counts.

The jury foreman told the court jurors could not reach any verdicts on any of the three counts Giggs denied.

The 48-year-old was accused of headbutting his partner or elbowed her younger sister Emma in the jaw following a row over a mobile phone at his home in Worsley, Greater Manchester on 1 November 2020.

He was also accused of using controlling or coercive behaviour against Ms Greville between August 2017 and November 2020.

Lawyers will now have to consider the public interest of a retrial but any further trial would only take place many months from now.

Manchester Crown Court was told accusations he headbutted Ms Greville were "nasty lies", and instead his “head clashed” with his girlfriend’s but the blow was "not deliberate".

The Welsh international told a court they had a "scuffle", adding, "I accept during this scuffle my head clashed with hers (Kate).

"I am not sure if it was the face or head but I am sure it was not deliberate."

During the trial Giggs admitted he was a liar and serial cheat, admitting he had never been faithful in any of his romantic relationships.

He was asked if he agreed he was "well known" the world over for being a footballer.

Mr Daw added: "But you are also known for something else, you have a reputation for infidelity. Is that reputation justified?"

Giggs replied: "Yes."

Mr Daw continued: "In the course of your relationships with women, up to and including Ms Greville, have you managed to be faithful to any of them?"

"No," said Giggs.

The former Wales manager admitted he was not proud of his behaviour on the night of 1 November, when he ended up fighting with his former partner, at his house in Worsley which he has now sold.

After Ms Greville's sister Emma rang the police to report the alleged assault, the court heard Giggs' neighbour Linda Cheung told the court she had watched Ms Greville and her sister laughing and celebrating after his arrest.

The defence claimed Ms Greville had planned her attack after deciding to leave Giggs, and told friends she was not prepared to leave empty handed, either by getting pregnant or gaining financially.

Intimate details of the former Man United star’s on-off six year relationship with Ms Greville were also read out in court.

The jury was read almost 20,000 messages shared by the couple, including love poems, and some abusive messages on both sides.

But, legendary Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was called as a witness by the defence, who told the court he had never seen Giggs lose his temper in the 24 years he played for him.

Sir Alex told the court Giggs had a "fantastic temperament", adding: "To have a career as long as he had in a difficult position, in terms of energy, he fulfilled everything we ever wished for."

He said Giggs was "without doubt the best example we had at the club" and "everyone looked at Ryan Giggs as the number one".

Asked by Giggs’s barrister Chris Daw QC if he had ever seen him "lose his temper or become aggressive", Sir Alex replied: "No."

Giggs also sobbed in court describing the night in the cells as the worst experience of his life - and how he had been forced to give up his dream job managing Wales.

Ms Greville, who Giggs claimed to love, and her sister insisted in court there were two,"two very different" sides to Giggs, the public persona and the one behind closed doors.

Following his arrest, the court heard Ms Greville told officers of the “toxic” nature of the relationship, subjecting to her to a "litany of abuse, both physical and psychological".

She alleged he had controlled her in their relationship, and on one occasion even left her naked in a hotel corridor after he threw her out following an argument.

But the jury failed to believe either side of the story - and the Crown Prosecution Service now have seven days to decide if they want to bring a retrial.

Giggs was released on bail until a mention hearing on 7 September.