Ryan Giggs hoping to ‘rebuild life’ after domestic abuse charges are dropped

Former Manchester United winger and Wales manager Ryan Giggs is “relieved” at being cleared of domestic violence allegations made by his ex-girlfriend after charges were dropped.

Kate Greville told police and lawyers she did not want to go through the ordeal of a second trial after jurors failed to reach verdicts in the high-profile first trial last year, Manchester Crown Court heard.

Giggs, 49, was not in court on Tuesday as lawyers said there was no longer any realistic prospect of conviction and it was not in the public interest for Giggs to go on trial for a second time over allegations made by Greville and her sister Emma.

Peter Wright KC, prosecuting, offered no evidence against Giggs at the 20-minute hearing as the allegations were formally dropped.

Judge Hilary Manley entered “not guilty” verdicts on the charges of coercive and controlling behaviour and assault against Kate Greville and common assault of her sister.

Giggs had been accused of controlling behaviour over a three-year period involving Greville.

He was also accused of assault by “losing control” and headbutting Kate Greville and the common assault of Emma Greville by elbowing her in the jaw, during a row at his home in Worsley, Greater Manchester, on November 1 2020.

Giggs denied the offences and underwent a month-long trial, ending last August when the jury failed to reach any verdicts, and a retrial was scheduled to begin on July 31st.

But on Tuesday, prosecutor Peter Wright KC told Manchester Crown Court that the case had been considered at the highest levels at the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and a decision had been made not to proceed with a second trial.

Wright said Giggs’ ex-girlfriend Greville had “indicated an unwillingness” to give