Benjamin Mendy left the Chester Crown Court wiping tears from his face after he received some of the best news possible at the conclusion of his trial in Chester, England, on Friday. The 28-year-old former Manchester City and France soccer player was accused of attacking a 24-year-old woman in October 2020 at his mansion in Mottram St Andrew, Cheshire. This came after he was accused of attempted rape of another woman, 29, who accused him of molestation two years before.
Trial Details
Mendy was accused alongside Louis Saha Matturie, 41, of six counts of rape and one sexual of sexual assault. They became the subject of an investigation after 13 women came forward with the allegations. It was reported that at least four of the females were teenagers.
They first trial started on Aug. 10, 2022, but ended in January after jurors could not reach a verdict. It took the jurors 14 days for deliberation.
Matturie was accused as the “fixer,” and he was found not guilty on three counts of rape relating to the female teenagers. Jurors also failed to reach a verdict on three counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault against him as well by five other women.
Prosecutors said they would seek a retrial in January.
Mendy was charged with one count of raping a woman and the attempted rape of another woman at the retrial. He was found not guilty for a second time.
“Benjamin Mendy would like to thank the members of the jury for focusing on the evidence in this trial, rather than on the rumour and innuendo that have followed this case from the outset,” Mendy’s solicitor said in a statement. “This is the second time that Mr Mendy has been tried and found not guilty by a jury. He is delighted that both juries reached the correct verdicts.”
What’s Next On the Pitch?
Mendy last played in 2021 for Manchester City and was suspended by the Premier League that same year after his arrest. The French club signed him from Ligue 1 side AS Monaco in 2017 for a club fee of $68.17 million.
He was released after his contract expired last month. Mendy only appeared in 50 matches for Manchester City.
