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| Former Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy gestures as he leaves Chester Crown Court after being found not guilty on July 14, 2023 in Chester, England. |
Ex-Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy has been found not guilty of sexually attacking two women.
The 28-year-old stood trial at Chester Crown Court where he claimed the two incidents were both consensual encounters.
The French international, who was under contract to Manchester City until July 1, has been cleared of the attempted rape of woman A, aged 29 at the time, at his £4 million mansion in Mottram St Andrew, Cheshire, in October 2018.
He has also been cleared of raping woman B, aged 24 at the time, at his home two years later.
Mendy is alleged to have told the second woman “it’s fine, I’ve had sex with 10,000 women”, the court heard.
The jury of six women and six men took less than a day to find Mendy not guilty.
Mendy had been standing for the verdicts but when the foreman confirmed he had been cleared he sank to his seat, his head on his knees, wiping away tears with a white tissue.
Judge Stephen Everett, the Recorder of Chester, said: “Mr Mendy can be discharged from the dock.”
Jurors had been told that the footballer was also found not guilty of sexual offences alleged by other women after a trial which ended in January.
That jury could not agree verdicts on the allegations made by women A and B, hence the retrial.
Speaking after Friday’s verdict, Mendy’s lawyer said he is “delighted” to have been cleared aof all charges.
Jenny Wiltshire, head of serious & general crime at Hickman & Rose said: “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.
“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.
“It has been almost three years since the police started investigating this matter. Mr Mendy has tried to remain strong but the process has, inevitably had a serious impact on him.
“He thanks everyone who has supported him throughout this ordeal and now asks for privacy so he can begin rebuilding his life.”