Former Manchester United superstar Ryan Giggs charged with assault against two women

Former Manchester United superstar Ryan Giggs has been charged with assault against two women, police and prosecutors said on Friday. Giggs has been charged with causing bodily harm to woman in her 30s and common assault of a woman in her 20s and as well as one count of controlling behavior between 2017 and 2020.

Giggs, who was the manager of the Wales national football team until Friday, is set to lose his job with the Football Association of Wales saying that it would replace him with Robert Page for the upcoming Euro 2020, set to be played later this year.

In November 2020, Giggs missed a number of Wales match after allegations of assault but denied them at the time.

Giggs is due to appear at Manchester and Salford Magistrates’ Court on April 28, the Crown Prosecution Service said in its statement.

Giggs said he would plead not guilty to the charges against him.

“I have full respect for the due process of law and understand the seriousness of the allegations," Giggs said in a statement. “I will plead not guilty in court and look forward to clearing my name."

Whereas Greater Manchester Police, in a separate statement, said that both counts of assault relate to November 1, 2020 when police were dialed to reports of disturbance and a woman in her 30s was treated for injuries at the scene.

The Football Association of Wales said it would convene a meeting to discuss the impact of the developments on the national team.

“The FAW will not be making any further comment at this current time," it said in a statement.

Giggs made 963 appearances over 23 years for Manchester United as a player, a club record, winning a haul of honours including 13 Premier League winner’s medals and two UEFA Champions League winner’s medals.

He represented Wales as a player 64 times between 1991 and 2007 and took over as national coach in 2018.He is also co-owner of League Two side Salford City.

(With Reuters inputs)