He was the darling of the Old Trafford terraces for years, but former Man United legend, Ryan Giggs, has hit the headlines on more than one occasion for reasons other than football since his retirement from playing at the highest level.
As the Daily Star note, whilst married to his wife Stacey, Giggs conducted an eight-year affair with his brother Rhodri’s wife, Natasha, and during that affair he also had a six-month fling with former Miss Wales, Imgoen Thomas.
Though tawdry and regrettable, they didn’t result in criminal charges, unlike when his former girlfriend, Kate Greville, accused him of using controlling behaviour and assaulting her and her sister.
The case went to court, forcing Giggs to step down from managing Wales, but after the jury failed to reach verdicts a re-trial was ordered.
As the Belfast Telegraph note, the case has now been dropped entirely because of Ms. Greville’s wish not to go through with the second trial.
“Mr Giggs is deeply relieved the prosecution has finally come to an end after almost three years in which he’s been fighting throughout to clear his name,” Chris Daw KC, who was defending Giggs, noted.
“He has always been innocent of these charges – there’s been very, very many lies told about him in court.”
In the eyes of the law Giggs is now completely innocent of all of the charges made against him, and he will, should he so wish, be able to go on and resurrect his managerial career.
The accusations will never go away, mind, and that’s something that the Man United great will just have to live with.