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The Telegraph
The Telegraph
National
Gareth Davies

Ryan Giggs trial: Cross-examination was like putting veteran lawyer in goal against the winger

Former Manchester United footballer Ryan Giggs arrives at Manchester Crown Court - Peter Byrne/PA
Former Manchester United footballer Ryan Giggs arrives at Manchester Crown Court - Peter Byrne/PA

Ryan Giggs' cross-examination under a veteran barrister was "no more an equal match" than putting the lawyer in goal against the ex-footballer during the peak of his career, a court heard.

Chris Daw QC, defending the former player, described Peter Wright QC's interrogation as "almost a form of blood sport" and said his client was "like a rabbit in the headlights" on the stand.

Mr Giggs, 48, is accused of coercive behaviour during his relationship with PR executive Kate Greville, 36, whom he is also alleged to have headbutted.

He also faces a second assault charge for allegedly elbowing Ms Greville’s younger sister, Emma, in the jaw.

He denies the charges.

The defence and prosecution delivered their closing speeches in the trial on Monday at Manchester Crown Court.

Addressing the jury of seven women and five men, Mr Daw claimed the case was instead about "infidelity" and that Ms Greville was "deeply, deeply upset" and "furious" about Mr Giggs cheating on her.

Addressing Mr Giggs' testimony during the trial, he said that placing "one of the leading prosecuting barristers of the last 40 years against someone who who had limited education in terms of schooling" was "no more an equal match up than putting Mr Wright in goal against Mr Giggs at the absolute peak of footballing ability".

He said his client was "too embarrassed" to ask the prosecutor about questions he didn't understand while he was on the stand, and that it was less embarrassing to agree with what the prosecutor was putting to him, reminding the jury that Mr Giggs agreed he was impetuous when it later emerged he did not know what the word meant.

"He would’ve agreed his career was not at Manchester United but at Bolton Wanderers," he added.

Elsewhere during the proceedings, the prosecution said in his summary that there were "two very different Ryan Giggs", adding: "The one who is exposed for public consumption and the Ryan Giggs who exists on occasion behind closed doors."

The court heard that some 19,671 messages between the couple during their six-year on/off relationship had been recovered as part of the investigation into the allegations.

Mr Wright said the messages, when contextualised, "tell their own sorry tale of emotional manipulation, physical excess and control and coercion".

He said Mr Giggs' "ultimate trump card was physical domination" in his relationship with Ms Greville and that when the ex-footballer was "riled" he responded with "hate-filled outbursts of bile" which were sent to "the very same woman moments earlier he had professed to love and care for".

Mr Wright told the court that Mr Giggs "could and would resort to aggression", but that "his ultimate trump card was physical domination". He said "the reality is the truth has caught up with Mr Giggs" and that it was "time to pay the price".

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