Ryan Giggs subjected ex-partner to ‘litany’ of abuse, court hears

Ryan Giggs head-butted his former partner after subjecting her to a “litany” of physical and psychological abuse over three years, a court has heard.

The former Manchester United and Wales footballer, 48, “entirely lost his self-control” and attacked his then partner, Kate Greville, and elbowed her sister in the jaw during an argument about his alleged infidelity, jurors were told.

The fight at their home in Worsley, Greater Manchester, followed three years of “systematic and at times violent abuse” of Greville, 36, by the retired footballer, the jury heard.

The trial at Manchester Minshull Street crown court heard details of expletive-laden and threatening messages Giggs sent his former partner. One email, after Greville had blocked Giggs on social media, read: “Please unblock me. All this blocking malarkey is poo. Promise no more naked piccies.”

Another email accused Greville of telling “LIES LIES LIES” and said: “Only an evil horrible cunt does that. Absolutely astonishing. Now I look an utter twat after telling three of my friends I’m going to Scotland at the weekend.” Giggs added: “I’m so fucking mad now I’m scaring myself because I could do anything.”

Giggs denies charges of using controlling and coercive behaviour against Greville between August 2017 and November 2020.

He is also charged with assaulting Greville, causing her actual bodily harm, and of the common assault of her younger sister, Emma Greville, at their home in Worsley on 1 November 2020. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Peter Wright QC, prosecuting, told jurors that while Giggs was “idolised” by his supporters on the pitch, behind closed doors there was a “much uglier and more sinister side to his character”, adding: “This, we say, was a