Benjamin Mendy cries as he's cleared of rape following retrial
Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy arriving at Chester Crown Court on July 14, 2023
PA
Benjamin Mendy found not guilty of one count of rape and one of attempted rape by jurors at Chester Crown Court.
The French international was previously found not guilty of six rapes and one sexual assault against four women.
Mendy, 28, was first arrested in November 2020 and was suspended by by Manchester City football club in August 2021, later being released from his contract.
In the case brought to Chester Crown Court, Mendy was accused two women during lockdown breaching parties.
Jurors were unable to reach an agreement on the third count, which is said to have occurred in October 2020.
One of the alleged victims in the retrial, referred to as Woman Two, claimed she was 'forcefully' raped by Mendy in October 2022 after they met in a bar.
Manchester City's Mendy celebrates with the Premier League trophy at Etihad Stadium, Manchester on May 23, 2021.
PA
The woman is alleged to have been invited back to Mendy's residence with her friends, where they were instructed to hand over mobile phones.
Once inside the premises, Woman Two is said to have followed Mendy into his bedroom when the internal locking system locked the door behind them.
Jurors heard claims that Mendy said she could get her phone back if she stripped naked, prompting the complainant to make clear: "I do not want to have sex with you".
Mendy is said to have persisted, adding: "If you just take off your clothes. I just wanna have a look at you. I promise you I won’t touch you.
Mendy arrives at Chester Crown Court onJune 26,
PA
"I just wanna see what you look like. I wanna see your body. I wanna see your t***. Your t*** are so big."
Woman Two claimed the footballer then raped her as she repeatedly told him no.
Mendy later called the woman "too shy," before claiming he'd "had sex with 10,000 women."
Woman One was allegedly targeted by the French international during a gathering at his Cheshire mansion in Mottram St Andrew, near Prestbury.
Mendy (left) and Tottenham Hotspur's Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in action during his last game for Manchester City on August 15, 2021.
PA
Jurors heard claims that Mendy followed Woman One into the bathroom and attempted to rape her while she called out 'stop' in French.
Mendy is alleged to have held her down and said: "Don't worry. Are you scared?"
Message receipts show that the woman later contacted a friends to say: "I just got sexually abused, if that's the right word, by Mendy."
MENDY IN FOCUS:
France's Benjamin Mendy during the International Friendly at the Stade de France, Paris in June 2017.
Mike Egerton/PA Wire
Mendy was signed by City from French side Monaco in 2017 for a reported £49.2million.
He played his last game for the club in August 2021 during a 1-0 defeat against Tottenham.
The left-back has 50 premier league appearance, scoring twice and racking up 11 assists.
Mendy also played 19 times in the Champions League, earning 5 assets.
Mendy has ten caps for France at first team level and nine at U21.
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