Benjamin Mendy, the ex-Manchester City footballer, has been found not guilty of charges related to rape and attempted rape following a trial at Chester Crown Court.
The accusations involved a 24-year-old woman who claimed she was raped at Mendy’s Cheshire mansion in October 2020, as well as a 29-year-old woman who alleged an attempted rape at his home two years earlier. Mendy, who denied both charges, was acquitted by a jury consisting of six men and six women.
After hearing the verdict, Mendy was reportedly in tears and embraced his friends outside the court, expressing relief. In a statement delivered by his solicitors, he thanked the jury for focusing on the evidence rather than rumors and innuendos surrounding the case. The statement also acknowledged the impact the investigation had on Mendy, who had remained resolute in his innocence throughout the three-year process.
In an earlier trial this year, Mendy was found not guilty of sexual offenses against multiple women, although the jury was unable to reach verdicts on the two charges involved in this retrial. Prosecutors in the retrial outlined how Mendy would host parties and social gatherings at his £4.2m home, The Spinney, while he was contracted with Manchester City.
During the trial, it was revealed that Mendy had encountered a British student in a Barcelona nightclub in 2017. The student subsequently visited Mendy’s residence, where she alleged an attempted rape occurred. Mendy testified that he had asked for consent and, upon being declined due to the presence of his friend, he respected her decision and left the room.
Another woman, who was invited to Mendy’s house with her friends, accused him of rape. Mendy claimed their encounter was consensual and that they had exchanged contact details on Snapchat.
Mendy, who became the world’s most expensive defender when he joined Manchester City from Monaco for £52m in 2017, won three Premier League titles with the club and was part of France’s 2018 World Cup-winning squad. Following the expiration of his contract with Manchester City in June, the club released him from their roster.
