Former Manchester United footballer Ryan Giggs has denied a charge he was violent and engaged in behaviour towards his ex-girlfriend including isolation, belittling, humiliation, harassment, degradation and abuse, a court heard.
Giggs, 47, also entered a not guilty plea of actual bodily harm to PR executive Kate Greville, 36, at his home in Worsley, Greater Manchester on November 1 last year.
The former footballer has also been charged with the common assault of Emma Greville, understood to be Ms Greville's younger sister, during the same alleged incident.
The charge of controlling and coercive behaviour in an intimate relationship alleges the abuse lasted almost three years, between December 2017 and November 2020.
Giggs appeared in the dock at Manchester Magistrates' Court for his first court appearance as the three charges against him were read out and he entered his not guilty pleas.
Giggs, who spoke only to confirm his name, address and enter his not guilty pleas, has been bailed to appear at Manchester Crown Court on May 26.
His conditions of bail are he must not contact Kate or Emma Greville or go to any address where they are.
The hearing, lasting 13 minutes, dealt with procedural matters as the case was sent to the crown court for a further hearing.
The full charges alleged against Ryan Giggs, as detailed in the court listing, are, "engage in controlling / coercive behaviour in an intimate / family relationship.
"Between 01/12/2017 and 02/11/2020 repeatedly or continuously engaged in behaviour which was controlling or coercive, namely, used violence, isolation, belittling, humiliation, harassment, degradation and abuse towards Kate Greville, to whom, at the time of the behaviour, you were personally connected in that you were in an intimate relationship, that behaviour having a serious effect on her, and you knew or ought to have known that the behaviour would have a serious effect on her.
"On 01/11/2020 at Manchester, assaulted Kate Greville, thereby occasioning her actual bodily harm.
"On 01/11/2020 at Manchester, assaulted Emma Greville by beating her."
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