Ryan Giggs to face trial in January accused of ‘headbutting and controlling ex-girlfriend’

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The former Manchester United footballer, Ryan Giggs, will face trial next January on charges of actual bodily harm and assault after allegedly headbutting his ex-girlfriend and hitting her sister.

He is also accused of controlling behaviour towards his ex-girlfriend, Kate Greville.

Giggs appeared at Manchester Crown Court on Friday for a 15-minute hearing. No formal pleas were entered in the hearing, but a date for the trial has been fixed for 24 January 2022, which could last up to three weeks.

Judge Nicholas Dean, QC said: “It’s obviously regrettable that it is so far in the future but that is the best we can do in all the circumstances.” He added he hoped the trial would not last the full three weeks, but said this would be discussed in a plea and trial preparation hearing set to take place on 23 July.

Police were called to a disturbance at Giggs’s home in Worsley, Greater Manchester, in November and a woman in her 30s was treated for injuries at the scene.

It is alleged Giggs headbutted his then-girlfriend, Ms Greville, causing her actual bodily harm, and that he beat younger her sister, Emma Greville, who was also present. Police questioned and arrested the Wales boss on suspicion of actual bodily harm and assault.

He is currently on conditional bail, and is prohibited from contacting Kate or Emma Greville, or going to any address where they are.

Giggs is also alleged to have used controlling and coercive behaviour towards Greville throughout their relationship by keeping her isolated from her work colleagues and friends, subjecting her to degrading treatment, violence, humiliation and abuse.

In an earlier hearing, prosecutor Andrea Griffiths said: “There was a fear of violence on many occasions…if she challenged him or tried to break away, there were threats of physical or professional harm.”

But on Friday, the court heard that the crown has yet to “particularlise the indictment” around Giggs’s alleged controlling and coercive behaviour.

The issue of jury selection was also raised in Friday’s hearing by the prosecution, due to the high profile nature of the case. In response, Judge Dean said: “we need to trust jurors that this case is nothing to do with football or allegiance to a public team.”

Giggs, who is being represented by Lisa Roberts QC, has denied the charges and said in a previous statement: “I will plead not guilty in court and look forward to clearing my name.”

In light of the charges and the trial, the Football Association of Wales (FAW) announced that Robert Page, Wales’ caretaker boss, would manage the Cymru men’s national team at the European Championship finals this summer.