Ryan Giggs’s ex was ‘slave to his every need and every demand’

The ex-girlfriend of former Manchester United footballer Ryan Giggs became “a slave to his every need and every demand”, she told a court.

Kate Greville said that when Giggs told her to do something, she would do it.

The PR executive told Chris Daw QC, defending, during cross-examination: “He made me feel like I had to do what he said, otherwise there were consequences.”

Giggs, 48, denies using controlling and coercive behaviour against Ms Greville, 36, between August 2017 and November 2020, assaulting her, causing actual bodily harm, and the common assault of her younger sister, Emma.

Giggs leaving Manchester Crown Court where he is accused of controlling and coercive behaviour against ex-girlfriend Kate Greville

Manchester Crown Couurt heard that Ms Greville gave a statement the day before the start of the trial in which she said she had felt like “a slave” to the defendant.

She said: “That is what it felt like. When Ryan said do something, I would do it.”

Ms Greville agreed that she has made a number of witness statements to police following the alleged assault in November 2020, including two in the last week.

Mr Daw asked: “In the course of those statements, did you tell the police the whole truth?”

She replied: “100%.”

Mr Daw said: “Have you ever told any lies to the police about anything?”

Ms Greville replied: “No.”

The barrister went on: “Have you ever told lies to anyone else – your family and friends – in relation to this case?”

She repeated: “No.”

Mr Daw said: “It’s your position, is it not, that in effect he almost manipulated you into entering a relationship in the first place – a degree of mind games?”

Ms Greville said: “I was in a vulnerable position and he played on it.”

Mr Daw said: “This was not just two consenting adults, both equally married at the time, who embarked on an affair?”

The witness replied: “There was a degree of imbalance on my side because of the situation I was in with my ex-husband.”

She told the court that Giggs’ alleged controlling behaviour also affected her friendships and “he isolated me from certain people”.

She added he also “interfered with my ability to interact with my family”.

Ms Greville told the court that violence by Giggs was “not regular” and he would use aggression more as a form of control, undermining her confidence and self-esteem.

She said: “Yes, on the whole he was, but on the other side it was like two extremes. Other times he would give me confidence.

Ms Greville told the court her relationship with Giggs started in 2013 when she was in a “controlling marriage” and noticed the football star was interested in her.

But she said she was vulnerable and he used “techniques” to lure her in.

Ms Greville denied she was attracted by Giggs’ wealth or status or was seeking compensation, adding: “If anything, that he was a footballer, it put me off.”

Mr Daw asked the witness whether she was “planning on seeking a large sum of compensation when this is over?”

Ms Greville replied: “Absolutely not.”

She said the pair first had sex in December 2014 at a hotel in London and she left her husband the following February.

On Tuesday, Ms Greville told a jury that Giggs headbutted her after she confronted him about his serial cheating.

The case continues.