The jury has been discharged in Ryan Giggs' trial after they were unable to reach verdicts.
The jury began their deliberations on the 12th day of the trial (23 August) after lawyers made their closing statements in the case on 22 August.
Giggs was charged with the assault of his ex-girlfriend, Kate Greville, and her younger sister while they were at his home in November 2020, as well as being accused of using coercive and controlling behaviour against Greville over a three-year period from October 2017 to November 2020.
Advert
However, today (31 August), they told the court that they were unable to reach a decision upon which 10 to one had agreed.
Judge Hilary Manley asked if they had come to a verdict on any counts and the foreman answered, 'No'.
Asked if there was any 'realistic prospect' of them reaching verdicts if they were given more time, and again the foreman said, 'No'.
Advert
The jurors were then formally discharged from service and asked not to discuss the case as there may be another trial at some point in the future.
The former Manchester United footballer and Wales manager denied all charges, claiming he did not headbutt Greville 'with force' during an argument about his alleged infidelity.
His lawyer, Chris Daw QC, has said there was 'no evidence' Giggs had 'controlled any part' of Greville's life, and accused the prosecution of portraying Griggs as 'violent, coercive and controlling to the core' during the trial. He also argued the 48-year-old was 'not on trial for being flirtatious'.
Addressing the jury, which is made up of seven women and five men, Daw pointed out they would have to be sure Giggs had committed the alleged acts to find him guilty.
Advert
“Probably guilty isn’t enough, in our system – it’s nowhere near it," he said. "Even if you are of the view he is probably guilty, you must find him not guilty."
Greville told the court Giggs had made her life 'a living hell', and claimed he would send aggressive and threatening messages to her when they fell out.
Prosecutor Peter Wright QC presented the jury with 'two very different Ryan Giggs'; one who is 'exposed for public consumption' and one who 'exists on occasion behind closed doors'.
Advert
He described Giggs and Greville's relationship as 'volatile' and claimed the former footballer had controlled it using 'aggression and acts of volatility' which carried 'the unmistakeable and barely concealed threat of physical domination that is his master card, his trump card'.
Wright commented: "It’s about what he’s not known for, what he’s hidden beneath the surface of this character, and of his character, and it’s about the abuse of power by a man over another woman.
“It’s about a man who thinks or thought he could do whatever he likes in respect of his treatment of Kate Greville and he could get away with it, because the sad history of this relationship revealed that his excesses were endured by her and kept private.”
Giggs himself told the court he had not been faithful to his partners, but said he had never been violent or controlling with them.
.jpg)
Emily Brown