Members of the jury in the trial of former Manchester United footballer Ryan Giggs have been sent home for the night after beginning their deliberations on Tuesday.
The 48-year-old is accused of controlling or coercive behaviour against his ex-girlfriend Kate Greville (38) between August 2017 and November 2020. He is also alleged to have deliberately headbutted Ms Greville, injuring her lip, at his home in Worsley, Greater Manchester, and to have elbowed her sister, Emma (26), in the jaw.
Giggs denies the allegations.
Chris Daw QC, for Giggs, told jurors at Manchester Crown Court that Ms Greville, a PR executive, was a “scorned” woman furious at the defendant’s serial cheating throughout their on/off six-year relationship. He said Ms Greville’s inability to accept his infidelity led to her falsely characterising Giggs as a physically and psychologically abusive boyfriend who made her a “slave to his every need and demand”.
Giggs’ defence team said there was no evidence of him controlling anything Ms Greville did and claimed the alleged headbutt was “utterly incredible” and actually an accidental clash of heads or faces.
Giving evidence, Giggs admitted his reputation as a “love cheat” was justified and that he had been unfaithful in all his relationships. But he said he had never physically assaulted a woman or set out to control and coerce anyone.
Prosecutors say there are “two very different Ryan Giggses” – the one in the public eye and the one behind closed doors.
Peter Wright QC said the former Wales manager “thinks, or thought, he could do whatever he liked in respect of his treatment of Ms Greville and that he could get away with it”. He said the “sad history” of the relationship revealed his “excesses were endured by her, excused and kept private”.
But Mr Wright said all that changed on the night of November 1st, 2020, when Giggs lost self-control and attacked Ms Greville – and that she had the “courage” to stand up to him to expose the Giggs “behind the mask”.
Summing up the case on Tuesday, Judge Hilary Manley asked the jury of seven women and five men to consider if the relationship “veered off the rails” due to Ms Greville’s inability to accept Giggs’ serial womanising, with her getting “her revenge by twisting and exaggerating their routine arguments”.
Or, she asked, was the relationship “much more sinister and darker”, involving a man exerting his power over an emotionally vulnerable woman, eventually leading to a loss of self-control?
Earlier, Judge Manley told jurors: “Put aside emotions. Continue to approach the case with a cool head and go where the evidence leads you.”
The jury was sent home on Tuesday evening and will resume its deliberations at 10am on Wednesday. - PA