Prosecutors informed the Manchester Crown Court on Tuesday that they would not proceed with the case against the 49-year-old Ryan Giggs , the former Manchester United player. Accusers had leveled allegations of coercive or controlling behavior against him, as well as assault towards his former partner and her sister. The court had initially scheduled the trial for July 31.
During initial trial of Ryan Giggs in September last year, the jury could not reach verdicts. Giggs’ barrister, Chris Daw KC, stated that the former footballer felt “deeply relieved” as the prosecution finally concluded, marking the end of a two and a half-year period since his first arrest. Daw said Giggs – who was not in court for the short hearing – had been “fighting to clear his name” since November 2020.
He said: “The position is that he has always been innocent of these charges and there have been very many lies told about him.
Police bail
Giggs, the English game’s most decorated footballer of his generation, has remained on police bail for over two and a half years following his arrest on November 1, 2020.
He has consistently denied controlling or coercive behaviour towards his ex-girlfriend Kate Greville, now 38, over a three-year period between August 2017 and November 2020.
He also denied assaulting Greville, causing actual bodily harm, and the common assault of her sister Emma Greville on 1 November 2020. During Giggs’ time at Old Trafford, Manchester United won 13 Premier League titles, two Champions League trophies, four FA Cups and three League Cups.
Giggs stood down as manager of the Wales national team in 2022 after a period of leave since November 2020. He won 64 caps for Wales and is a co-owner of the League Two side Salford.