Benjamin Mendy found not guilty of rape and attempted rape at Chester Crown Court

Benjamin Mendy, the former Manchester City player, has been acquitted of charges of rape and attempted rape by a jury at Chester Crown Court. Mendy was accused of raping a 24-year-old woman at his home in Cheshire in October 2020 and of attempting to rape a 29-year-old woman two years prior.

However, he denied both charges and the jury, consisting of six men and six women, found him not guilty. Mendy asserted that the encounters were consensual.

Earlier this year, Mendy was also found not guilty of sexual offenses against several women, although the jury could not reach verdicts on the two charges mentioned above.

During the retrial, prosecutors revealed that Mendy often hosted parties and social gatherings at his home, known as The Spinney, while playing for Manchester City. The court heard about an incident where Mendy met a British student in a nightclub in Barcelona in 2017.

The student became acquainted with one of Mendy’s friends and arranged to visit him at his residence the following year. She alleged that Mendy attempted to rape her after a night out.

However, Mendy told the jury that he asked her if they could have sex and she declined due to concerns about his friend. He claimed to have respected her decision and left the room when she became upset.

Another woman alleged that Mendy raped her after he took her phone and led her to a locked bedroom during a visit to his home with friends. Mendy denied the allegation and stated that their encounter was consensual. He emphasized that he would never force anyone to have sex.

Following his acquittal, Mendy’s solicitor released a statement expressing gratitude to the jury for focusing on the evidence presented in the trial rather than rumors and speculation surrounding the case. Mendy had previously faced a trial that resulted in a hung jury before this retrial. He was released by Manchester City when his contract expired in June.

Source – skysports.com