Ryan Giggs’ ex-girlfriend “could not do her work” due to the “intense” number of emails he had sent.
Image source, ReutersA firm which had employed Ryan Giggs’ ex-girlfriend blocked his emails due to the quantity he was sending her, a court has heard.
The former Manchester United star and ex-Wales manager, 48, is on trial accused of controlling behaviour and assaulting Kate Greville and her younger sister Emma.
Mr Giggs denies all charges.
Elsa Roodt told the jury the email volume was “intense” and “Kate could not do her work”.
Ms Roodt, who has a public relations firm in the United Arab Emirates, was giving her evidence via a video link from Dubai.
She told Manchester Crown Court Ms Greville had gone to help her and colleague Katie Harvey to set up a new office in Abu Dhabi in 2016.
She said Ms Greville was “happy and confident and bubbly” and she socialised when she first arrived.
But, over the two years she worked there, she said there was a “noticeable difference” and they did not spend as much time with her.
She appeared “nervous” and she was “obsessed” with her phone and being available at all times, said Ms Roodt.
She was asked about an alleged incident at a hotel in Dubai, when Mr Giggs was visiting and when she had seen Ms Greville the following day, she told her they had had some sort of “argument”.
“She was very upset,” she said.
Ms Roodt added she had seen bruises on Ms Greville’s wrist and had asked her where they were from.
She said Ms Greville told her they had had “rough sex” after the argument.
Ms Roodt was also asked about seeing Ms Greville in February 2020 when she visited Ms Harvey’s home while on holiday in Dubai with Mr Giggs.
Ms Roodt said Ms Greville described how “she had been crying all night and seemed very upset”.
She said she had bruises on her arm and had said Mr Giggs had been “physical with her” in the hotel room.
Mr Giggs had phoned and messaged Ms Harvey during the two hours Ms Roodt was visiting.
Some of his messages were “loving”, she said, but some were “rude”.
“It was like they were coming from two different people,” she said.
Under cross examination, Ms Roodt said she had met Mr Giggs about three times.
She said she had not been present during any of the couple’s arguments, and having been at a wedding with the couple in Spain, she agreed he had appeared kind, friendly and sociable at that event.
The court heard Ms Greville was currently a managing partner in the UK branch of Ms Roodt’s business.
The trial continues.