Former Manchester United footballer Ryan Giggs told a UK court on Wednesday that his record of sending one over a 24-year career showed he was prone to violence, in a trial for assault and coercive control over an ex-girlfriend. were not.
Taking a stand at Manchester Crown Court for the second day, the former United & Wales forward cried as he described spending a night in the cells as “the worst experience of my life”.
Giggs denied having physically assaulted former partner, PR agent Kate Greville, and her sister nearly two years ago.
He also denies controlling Greville during their rocky years-long relationship.
Giggs claims that Greville’s injuries were an accidental result of a three-way fight between him and his sister over a mobile phone.
The former winger admitted that he “would have caught him and his sister”, but his playing career showed that he was not violent.
He told the court that it was “part and parcel” of verbal abuse and provocation on the pitch.
“At any occasion did you react to any with violence?” asked his attorney Chris Dow.
“No,” Giggs replied, adding that he had only received a red card once in 1,000-plus appearances.
The court also heard intimate details of the pair’s love-life, opposing the defense’s allegations that Giggs pressured Greville into having sex by reading texts sent to her.
Giggs was arrested by the police from his home in November 2020 and released on bail.
He has denied the charges and pleaded not guilty to a preliminary court appearance in April last year.
His trial was to be held in January, but was delayed due to the backlog of court cases due to the Covid pandemic.
Giggs’ lawyer, Daw, has worked for high-profile sports personalities including former England and Chelsea football captain John Terry, who was found not guilty of racially abused teammate Anton Ferdinand in 2012.
Giggs resigned as Wales manager in June after being on leave since his arrest.
He said he did not want the “continued interest in the matter” to affect the team as it prepares for this year. World Cup in Qatar.
He is on conditional bail, and has said he looks forward to “clearing my name”.
Giggs exploded onto the scene as a teenager in the mid-1990s, ending his career at Old Trafford as the most decorated player in English football history.
As a player, Giggs made a club-record 963 appearances over 23 years for Manchester United, winning 13 Premier League titles and two Champions League trophies.
He then began his coaching career at Old Trafford, taking temporary charge at the end of the 2013/14 season before David Moyes was sacked as an assistant to Louis van Gaal for two years.
Giggs was appointed boss of Wales in January 2018 and helped them secure qualification for Euro 2020, their second major tournament since the 1958 World Cup.
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