Man Utd legend Giggs cites disciplinary record in assault trial – Sporting Life
Former Manchester United footballer Ryan Giggs, who is on trial for assaulting and forcibly controlling an ex-girlfriend, told a British court on Wednesday that his record of being sent off over his 24-year career showed, that he is not prone to violence.
The former United and Wales striker, who was at Manchester Crown Court for the second straight day, broke down in tears as he described spending a night in the cells as the “worst experience of my life”.
Giggs denies physically assaulting former partner, PR agent Kate Greville, and her sister nearly two years ago.
He also denies controlling Greville during their troubled relationship for years.
Giggs claims that the injuries Greville suffered were an accidental result of a three-way fight between her and her sister over a cell phone.
The former winger admitted he “maybe got her and her sister” but his playing career showed he wasn’t violent.
He told the court it was “an essential part” to be verbally abused and provoked on the pitch.
“Have you responded to this with violence on any occasion?” asked his attorney, Chris Daw.
“No,” Giggs replied, saying he’d only received one red card in more than 1,000 appearances.
The court also heard intimate details of the couple’s love life, with the defense contradicting claims that Giggs pressured Greville into having sex by reading texts she had sent.
Giggs was arrested by police at his home in November 2020 and released on bail.
He has denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty in a first court appearance in April last year.
His trial was due to be heard in January but was delayed due to a backlog of court cases caused by the Covid pandemic.
Giggs’ lawyer, Daw, has acted for high-profile sports figures including former England and Chelsea football captain John Terry, who was found not guilty of the racial abuse of teammate Anton Ferdinand in 2012.
Giggs resigned as Wales manager in June after being furloughed since his arrest.
He said he didn’t want “continued interest in this case” to affect the team’s preparations for this year’s World Cup in Qatar.
He remains on conditional bail and has said he looks forward to “clearing my name.”
Giggs emerged as a teenager in the mid-1990s and ended his career at Old Trafford as the most decorated player in English football history.
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As a player, Giggs made a club record 963 appearances for Manchester United over 23 years, winning 13 Premier League titles and two Champions League trophies.
He then began his coaching career at Old Trafford, taking over on an interim basis at the end of the 2013/14 season after David Moyes was sacked, before spending two years as Louis van Gaal’s assistant.
Giggs was appointed manager of Wales in January 2018 and helped them qualify for Euro 2020, only their second appearance in a major tournament since the 1958 World Cup.