Ryan Giggs, the former Manchester United player, came in court this morning and is scheduled to stand trial today on charges of beating and manipulating his ex-girlfriend and assaulting her sister.
On November 1, 2020, the 48-year-old is accused of beating his former girlfriend, PR professional Kate Greville, 37, and inflicting her real bodily injury at his house in Worsley, Greater Manchester.
He is also accused of controlling and coercive behavior against Ms Greville during their relationship, which started in 2017 and culminated in the alleged attack.
According to the complaint, his actions against Ms Greville included “isolation, ridiculing, humiliation, harassment, degradation, and abuse.”
Giggs reportedly kicked Ms Greville in the back before tossing her out of a five-star hotel bedroom nude last year after she accused him of flirting with other women.
On the same day, the Welshman is also charged with common assault on her younger sister, Emma Greville.
Giggs was detained at his house by police in November 2020 and freed on bail.
In his initial court appearance in April of last year, he disputed the claims and pleaded not guilty.
The former Manchester United and Wales International Footballer was scheduled to go on trial in January, but the hearing was postponed because to the current backlog of court cases, which has been compounded by the Covid-19 epidemic.
Last week, it was thought that the hearing might be postponed again owing to the discovery of asbestos in the basement of Manchester Crown Court.
Judge Hilary Manley decided on Thursday that the 10-day trial will begin today in the city’s second crown court, Manchester Minshull Street, before transferring to Manchester Crown Court on Tuesday for the balance of the proceedings.
Manchester Crown Court will be temporarily closed owing to a ‘building problem,’ according to HM Courts and Tribunals Service. A number of cases were subsequently relocated from Crown Square to Minshull Street and Bolton Crown Court.
In a short hearing last week on Minshull Street, Judge Manley said that jurors will be sworn in on Monday, with the prosecution to follow.
Barristers in the case appeared remotely to handle preliminary issues, although Giggs was not compelled to attend.
He stepped down as manager of the Wales national team last month, effective November 2020.
In a statement, he said that he does not want the country’s preparations for this year’s World Cup in Qatar to be “affected, destabilized, or jeopardized in any way” by the ongoing investigation.
Giggs met Ms Greville in 2013 when she helped promote his Hotel Football venue, which he co-founded with ex-Manchester United colleague Gary Neville.
He divorced his wife Stacey in December 2017, and they reached a £40 million settlement after he cheated on her over their 10-year marriage with model and Big Brother star Imogen Thomas.
Manchester United won 13 Premier League championships, two Champions League trophies, four FA Cups, and three League Cups during Giggs’ tenure at Old Trafford.
He has 64 Wales caps and is a co-owner of League Two club Salford City.
