Man City Star Benjamin Mendy Found Not Guilty Of One Count Of Rape Against 19-Year-Old Woman

During Benjamin Mendy's trial at Chester crown court, the Manchester City star was found not guilty of one count of rape.

On Tuesday, judge Stephen Everett ordered a jury to clear the 28-year-old of an allegation that he raped a woman, 19, at his Cheshire mansion on July 24, 2021, reported The Guardian. On the direction of the judge, Mendy’s co-accused, Louis Saha Matturie, was also found not guilty of one allegation of sexual assault and two counts of rape involving the same teen. Mendy and Matturie remain on trial for many sexual offence charges.

Jurors were warned by the judge not to speculate as to why the prosecution had decided not to pursue guilty verdicts in relation to the charges concerned and to "faithfully" continue to try the defendants on the charges they still face. Mendy faces one count of attempted rape, seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault against six women. Matturie, who is alleged to have had the job of finding young women for sex, denies six counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault relating to seven women, reported BBC. The two said that if any sex did take place with girls or women, it was all consensual.

According to The Sun, prosecutors alleged that Mendy is a "predator" who "turned the pursuit of women for sex into a game."

Before Everett's order, jurors heard evidence of the existence of a mobile phone video that was taken by Matturie of him and the woman having sex. The woman agreed to be filmed, the court was told. The alleged victim had told the jury that Matturie had sexually assaulted her at a flat in Salford on Aug. 1, 2021 after clubbing at Chinawhite nightclub in Manchester.

Defending Matturie, Lisa Wilding KC suggested that what happened between them was “consensual, willing and enthusiastic” sex, and not rape. The woman denied this, and claimed that the incident left her feeling “shamed and disgusted."

After the hearing was adjourned, Timothy Cray KC, prosecuting, told the court that the prosecution was no longer seeking guilty verdicts on alleged sexual offences involving the teen complainant. Then jurors were directed to enter not guilty verdicts against the two men.