Ryan Giggs trial latest: why has jury been discharged, what does it mean, and when will there be a verdict?

The jury in the trial of Ryan Giggs has been discharged after failing to reach verdicts on the charges he faced.

Giggs, 48, was on trial at Manchester Crown Court where he denied using controlling and coercive behaviour against his ex Kate Greville, 38, between August 2017 and November 2020.

The ex-Wales manager was also accused of assaulting Ms Greville, causing actual bodily harm, and the common assault of Emma Greville on 1 November 2020.

He denied the charges.

The trial was in its fourth week, with the jury resuming its deliberations for the fourth full day on Wednesday morning.

Why has the jury been discharged?

The jury had been out considering its deliberations for 22 hours and 59 minutes before they were brought back into court at 3.04pm.

Judge Hilary Manley asked if the jury on Wednesday afternoon if it had reached a verdict on any counts on which a majority of 10 to one had 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 answered: “No.”

Judge Manley then thanked the jurors and discharged them.

When did the jury retire?

The jury had retired on Tuesday (23 August) to start its deliberations. It was sent home on Thursday due to one of its members being ill.

Deliberations resumed on Friday with the jury continuing with 11 members rather than 12. The juror who was ill was discharged as they were still not well enough to attend.

At the end of Friday deliberations were set to resume on Tuesday.

Judge Hilary Manley on Tuesday gave the jury a majority direction, meaning they did not have to return unanimous verdicts agreed by all 11, but could return verdicts if a majority of 10-1 agreed.

What does it mean?

Lawyers will now have to consider the public interest of a retrial but any further trial would only take place many months from now.

Giggs’ head dropped down when the judge told the court any future trial could potentially be as far away as June of next year – but stressed any date has yet to be set.

Judge Manley told Giggs he would be bailed until Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) lawyers meet and make a decision on any future trial and a trial date is made.

A hearing will take place at the same court next week.