Benjamin Mendy re-trial to begin with footballer facing rape charge

26 June 2023 , 05:00

922     0

Benjamin Mendy's trial at Chester Crown Court is expected to last two to three weeks. (Image: Julian Hamilton/Daily Mirror)

The re-trial of Benjamin Mendy is set to begin at Chester Crown Court today with the French footballer facing one charge of attempted rape against one woman and rape against a second woman.

Mendy, 28, denies the charges. The trial is expected to last between two and three weeks and will be presided over by Judge Steven Everett, the Honorary Recorder of Chester.

In January Mendy was cleared of seven counts of rape and one count of sex assault alleged by six women following a trial lasting five months. But the jury could not reach verdicts on two sex offences alleged by two women.

The remaining charges are that he attempted to rape a woman in 2018 and that he raped another woman in October 2020.

It has been confirmed that Mendy will be leaving Man City when his contract expires this month (Getty Images)

Mendy's co-accused, Louis Saha Matturie of Eccles, Salford, was found not guilty of three counts of rape relating to two teenagers.

Mendy found not guilty on seven counts but faces retrial over two rape claims

The jury were unable to reach verdicts on three additional rape counts and three allegations of sexual assault against him by five other women. Matturie, who denies all charges, faces a separate retrial that is expected to begin in September.

Last week it was confirmed that Mendy will be leaving Manchester City when his contract expires at the end of June. He had been suspended by the club since his arrest in August 2021.

The defender joined City in 2017 from Monaco for £52million and, despite regular injury problems, won three Premier League titles at the club.

Alan Smith