Former Manchester United footballer and ex-Wales manager Ryan Giggs has been cleared of allegations he assaulted his ex-girlfriend and her sister.
It comes after charges were withdrawn by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) at a hearing at Manchester Crown Court.
Mr Giggs, 48, denied assault and controlling or coercive behaviour towards Kate Greville, 38, and assaulting her sister Emma.
Judge Hilary Manley directed that he was not guilty on all three counts.
The retrial had been due to start at Manchester Crown Court on 31 July.
Jurors failed to reach verdicts following more than 20 hours of deliberations in his four-week trial in August last year.
He was not in court as the judge had agreed he need not attend.
Prosecutor Peter Wright KC told Manchester Crown Court that the CPS were not now proceeding with the case.
He said Kate Greville had “indicated an unwillingness” to give evidence in a retrial as giving evidence in the first one had “taken its toll” on her and her sister.
Mr Wright said: “This is not a decision taken lightly”.
He said there was no realistic prospect of conviction on count one of coercive and controlling behaviour, and it was no longer in the public interest to proceed to prosecute on the other charges of assault on Ms Greville and her sister.
He added: “That being the case, we formally offer no evidence on counts one, two and three”.
His defence barrister, Chris Daw KC, said: “Mr Giggs is deeply relieved that the case has finally come to an end after almost three years of fighting to clear his name.”
He now intends to rebuild his life and career as an innocent man.
“The former footballer denied “losing control” and headbutting his ex-girlfriend and assaulting Ms Greville’s sister, Emma, 26, by elbowing her in the jaw during a row at his home in Worsley, Greater Manchester on 1 November 2020.
Mr Giggs was due to go on trial for a second time facing the same charges, after the jury in the first trial was discharged.
The jury was made up of 11 people – seven women and four men – after one of the original 12 jurors had fallen ill. (BBC)
