Ryan Giggs trial: Ex-Manchester United player admits trying to use daughter as ‘lever’ to stop 999 call after alleged headbutt on ex | Football News

Ryan Giggs has admitted trying to use his teenage daughter as “a lever” to stop the police being called on the night he allegedly headbutted his ex-girlfriend.

However the former Manchester United player denied using “emotional blackmail” after Kate Greville’s sister Emma rang 999 on the evening of 1 November 2020.

Giggs is also accused of elbowing Emma and threatening to headbutt her.

Giving evidence for a third day at his assault trial, the ex-Wales manager said online stalking was “common” in his relationship with Kate Greville and he believed it was his infidelity that had caused her “alarm and distress”.

Giggs is standing trial accused of using controlling and coercive behaviour against Ms Greville, as well as assaulting her and her sister.

He denies the charges against him.

Jurors heard that during a 999 call, Emma Greville said to Giggs: “I don’t care if your daughter is 17. I don’t care about your daughter.”

Prosecutor Peter Wright QC asked Giggs: “You were seeking here to dissuade her from making that complaint?”

“Yes,” he replied.

The prosecutor asked: “And you were seeking to use your daughter as the lever?”

“Yes,” Giggs said.

Asked why, the ex-footballer said: “I don’t know.”

Mr Wright suggested Giggs “sought to use emotional influence”.

“Emotional blackmail wasn’t it?”, the prosecutor asked.

“No,” Giggs responded.

Answering questions from his defence barrister Chris Daw QC, Giggs said he was “scared” about the police being called and the accusations being made about him.

Asked what he thought the potential consequences would be, Giggs said: “I’m not too sure. It didn’t look good.”

Giggs said a remark heard during the 999 call when he said “we’ll be everywhere” was referring to “newspapers and media”.

Online stalking was ‘common’ in relationship, says Giggs

The court has previously heard that Giggs sent a message to Ms Greville in which he said: “I’ll stalk you like mad.”

Giggs told the court that online stalking was “common in our relationship”, adding: “It meant we were checking up on each other.”

The former footballer had previously admitted he had turned up unannounced at Ms Greville’s home, workplace and gym following break-ups in their on-off relationship.

Giving evidence on Thursday, Giggs said that every time he had turned up unannounced, they had got back together.

Asked about Ms Greville’s attitude towards him turning up unannounced, Giggs said she was “happy I had fought for us and I’d persisted”.

The former Manchester United player also told the court that when he said in his evidence that he had caused Ms Greville “alarm and distress”, he was referring to his “infidelity”.

The trial at Manchester Crown Court was adjourned until Friday.