Jurors in Ryan Giggs’ trial have been discharged after failing to reach verdicts on any of the three charges he faced during a four-week domestic violence trial at Manchester Crown Court.
The former Manchester United footballer was accused of headbutting his ex-partner Kate Greville, as well as assaulting her younger sister Emma Greville.
The former Wales coach denied the charges, but after a 10-day trial at Manchester Crown Court, a jury told a judge on Wednesday they could not reach a verdict.
Judge Hilary Manley had told jurors on Tuesday, who deliberated for more than 16 hours, that she could now reach a majority verdict rather than a unanimous verdict.
On Wednesday afternoon, Judge Manley asked if they had reached a verdict on charges on which the 10-to-one majority 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 replied: “No”.
Judge Manley then thanked the jurors and discharged them. She warned all jurors not to discuss the case because there could be another trial in the case in the future.
Giggs did not react during the brief hearing.
Jurors first went out to deliberate on the verdicts in the late afternoon of August 23.
Lawyers will now have to consider the public interest in a retrial
(Peter Powell/PA)
The jury of 12 was later reduced to 11 after one juror fell ill and was discharged.
They deliberated for 22 hours and 59 minutes before being brought back to court at 3.04pm on Wednesday.
Lawyers will now have to consider the public interest in a retrial.
Giggs’ head hung low as the judge told the court that any future trial could potentially be as late as June next year – but stressed that a date had not yet been set.
She then told him he would be released on bail until Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) lawyers met and decided on a future trial and a trial date was set.
Giggs was released from the next hearing at the same court on September 7.
The former footballer, 48, denied controlling or coercing Ms Greville, 38, for three years.
He also denied “losing control” and headbutting her and assaulting her younger sister by elbowing her in the jaw during an argument at his home in Worsley, Greater Manchester, on 1 November 2020
Additional report from the Press Association