Ryan Giggs told ex-girlfriend Kate Greville ‘I wish I had cheated’ as she labelled him ‘an absolute skank, liar and narcissist’ in a furious exchange of messages, a court has heard.
The former Manchester United footballer, 48, is accused of ‘headbutting’ Ms Greville during a row in at his £1.7 Manchester home in November 2020.
He is charged with assaulting his former partner and her sister Emma, along with using controlling and coercive behaviour against Ms Greville between August 2017 and November 2020.
Day four of the trial today heard a thread of messages exchanged between the then couple on August 14, 2020 – three months before the alleged headbutt incident.
Peter Wright QC, prosecuting, read the message exchange in which Ms Greville told Giggs: ‘You’re a liar’.
Giggs replied: ‘Kate, you didn’t catch me in bed with anyone. I sent a few drunk texts.
‘Chills babes. Best night I’ve had in a pub. Wish I had cheated now.’
Ms Greville then said: ‘Ewwwww you are vile. Go to hell you absolute skank. You’re a liar, you’re a cheat, you’re a narcissist, you’re a manipulator, you’re controlling, you’re aggressive, you’re violent, you’re a disappointment. No f*** off out of my life.’
Former Manchester United star Ryan Giggs pictured as he left Manchester Crown Court following day four of his domestic assault trial today
Giggs is charged with assaulting his former partner Kate Greville (pictured) and her sister Emma, along with using controlling and coercive behaviour
Day four of the trial today heard a thread of messages exchanged between the then couple three months before the alleged assault
The court today heard that Ms Greville (pictured) labelled Giggs ‘an absolute skank, liar and narcissist’
Giggs replied: ‘Now not no love. That angry you can’t write. Chills.’
His ex-girlfriend said: ‘You actually just tried to trivialise what you just did?? Been speaking to Nicky have you???
‘Or your other cheating friends. ARRRHHH you poor things all agreeing that it’s not that bad what you did. You don’t give a f*** about my feelings. That last message proved that once and for all.’
Giggs then added: ‘Give the therapist a call, Kate. Nah I don’t run off crying to my friends like you do. You’re right, I don’t give a f*** about your feelings.
‘But your hatred today is on another level. That bad it’s funny.’
No further e-mails followed until August 16 when Giggs wrote: ‘I miss you so much.’
Lawyers for Giggs today also asked Ms Greville about an article that appeared in The Sun on November 16, 2020 – four days before she was interviewed by police about her domestic assault allegations.
The story featured a photograph of Ms Greville walking along a country lane with her dog, alongside the words ‘Living hell. Ryan Giggs’s ex spotted with a bruised lip in first outing since Wales manager’s assault arrest’.
Messages were read to the court between Ms Greville and a friend on November 10.
The friend wrote: ‘I’m selling the next pic of you and getting some paper out of this (laughing emojis).’
Ms Greville replied: ‘We can set up a pic and get money for both of us. What do you think?’ The friend said: ‘I think yes.’ Ms Greville wrote back: ‘We could get 5K.’
The friend added: “And kit our new apartment out.’ To which Ms Greville replied: ‘I think more to cover my legal costs (laugh emoji).’
The court heard that Ms Greville later sent a link of the article to her friend. She told her she looked ‘awful but me looking rough makes it look less staged’.
She wrote: ‘I think it’s good I look s**t to be honest.’
Mr Daw then asked Ms Greville if the photographs were staged and accused her of ‘deliberately trying to make it look like something had happened to you.
Ms Greville denied the allegation, adding: ‘I was trying to stop the paps turning up my doorstep every day. To take back control.
Giggs (left), 48, is accused of using controlling and coercive behaviour against Kate Greville (right), 36, between August 2017 and November 2020. The pair are pictured here on holiday in 2018
‘Obviously I had an injury and I wanted to show them the reality but it was about stopping the photographers and press turning up at my family’s door twice/three times a day to get pics of me.’
Mr Daw also today questioned Ms Greville about a message she sent to Giggs in which she said her lips were ‘f***ing killing’ after having filler in them.
She said the cosmetic procedure did not cause bruising or swelling, but had caused her lips to become ‘more tender’.
Chris Daw QC, representing Giggs, asked if her lips were more sensitive at the time of the alleged assault due to the filler procedure.
She replied: ‘I’ve not been headbutted in the face when I’ve not had filler so I don’t know if they’re more sensitive with or without.’
Instead, she told the court that the ex-Wales manager had ‘looked me straight in the eyes and headbutted me in my lip’.
Mr Daw asked Ms Greville where he had allegedly headbutted her, and she indicated her upper lip, between her lip and nose.
She said she had no idea which part of his head he used ‘because I didn’t see, because it was right in my face’.
Mr Daw then said: ‘It wasn’t a headbutt, was it?’
He added: ‘It was two faces coming together in a very minor form of contact.’
But Ms Greville insisted it was a headbutt, adding: ‘That suggestion is completely false. What happened is he came at me with his arms on my shoulders, looked me straight in the eyes and headbutted me in my lip.’
Giggs denies all charges.
The trial continues.