Ryan Giggs jury discharged after failing to reach verdict

The jury in the trial of former Manchester United and Wales footballer Ryan Giggs has been discharged, after failing to reach a verdict in his assault trial.

The jury of seven woman and four men had been out considering their deliberations for 22 hours and 59 minutes before they were brought back into court at 3.04pm.

Judge Hilary Manley asked if they had reached a verdict on any counts on which a majority of 10 to one had agreed.

The foreman of the jury answered: "No."

Asked if there was any "realistic prospect" of them reaching verdicts if given more time, the foreman again answered: "No."

Judge Manley then thanked the jurors and discharged them. She warned all the jurors not to discuss the case as there may be another trial of the case in the future.

Giggs made no reaction during the short hearing.

48-year-old Giggs has been on trial at Manchester Crown Court where he denied using controlling and coercive behaviour against his ex-girlfriend Kate Greville during their relationship between August 2017 and November 2020.

He was also accused of deliberately headbutting 38-year-old Ms Greville, injuring her lip, at his home in Worsley, Greater Manchester, and elbowing her sister, Emma, 26, in the jaw.

What happened during the Ryan Giggs trial?

In Gigg's defence his barrister, Chris Daw QC, told jurors at Manchester Crown Court the PR executive was a "scorned" woman furious at the defendant's serial cheating throughout their on/off six-year relationship.

He said her 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.

Giggs's 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 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.

'Two different Ryan Giggses'

Prosecutors in the case said 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 he said all that changed on the night of November 1 2020 when he lost self-control and attacked her - and she had the "courage" to stand up to him to expose the Giggs "behind the mask".

The Judge asks the jury for "cool heads"

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's 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?

Judge Manley told jurors: "Put aside emotions. Continue to approach the case with a cool head and go where the evidence leads you."

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