The former Manchester United star, Britain’s most decorated footballer, will no longer stand trial on two counts of assault and a separate charge of controlling and coercive behaviour
Ryan Giggs is a “deeply relieved man,” his barrister told Manchester Crown Court on Tuesday morning, after prosecutors withdrew their case almost three years on from the night Britain’s most decorated footballer was accused of assaulting an ex-girlfriend and her sister at his home.
The 49-year-old, a 13-times Premier League winner at Manchester United, faced an initial trial last summer in which the jury could not reach verdicts on two separate accounts of assault and a charge of controlling and coercive behaviour against Kate Greville, a PR executive.
Prosecutors called for a retrial that was pencilled in for July 31 but this morning, at a review hearing at Manchester Crown Court, Judge Hillary Manley was informed by Peter Wright KC, on behalf of the crown, that the case was being withdrawn because neither complainant was willing to give evidence again.
“In this case, Miss Greville and her sister Emma gave evidence over a number of days in a case when there was considerable media and public interest, and it is that particularly that that’s taken its toll on them, in particular Kate Greville,” Mr Wright said.