Manchester City and France international footballer Benjamin Mendy arrives to Chester Crown Court for a pre-trial hearing in Chester, northwest England, on 2 February 2022. – Mendy, who has been charged with seven counts of rape, was freed on bail last month with “stringent” conditions, including the surrender of his passport. Mendy, who is accused by five women of seven counts of rape and one of sexual assault, has been in custody since being arrested and charged on August 26 last year. Photo: Paul ELLIS / AFP.
UPDATE: Benjamin Mendy denies being a ‘danger to women’
Footballer Benjamin Mendy denied being “a danger to women” on the third day of his trial for a string of sexual offences.
Manchester City and France international footballer Benjamin Mendy arrives to Chester Crown Court for a pre-trial hearing in Chester, northwest England, on 2 February 2022. – Mendy, who has been charged with seven counts of rape, was freed on bail last month with “stringent” conditions, including the surrender of his passport. Mendy, who is accused by five women of seven counts of rape and one of sexual assault, has been in custody since being arrested and charged on August 26 last year. Photo: Paul ELLIS / AFP.
Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy denied being “a danger to women” as he gave evidence for a third day of his trial for a string of sexual offences including rape, attempted rape and sexual assault.
Prosecution lawyer, Timothy Cray KC, accused Mendy of seeing the alleged victims as just “things to be used for sex”.
The 28-year-old denied that allegation, but admitted to regrets over a party lifestyle that he described as being on a “fast train” that kept going until he was arrested and initially spent time in jail after being remanded in custody.
The jury heard that, during the coronavirus pandemic, a flat rented by Mendy in Manchester and his Cheshire home were used for lockdown-busting parties.
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“At the time I was just partying. I was not thinking that well,”
Mendy told the court.
“I was crazy. I was taking risks. The party, the Covid rules… it was like the train was going fast and I was keeping going, keeping going, until I went to prison – the first time I was really alone and the first time to think about everything.”
Mendy denies seven counts of rape, one count of attempted rape and one count of sexual assault against six young women.
His co-defendant Louis Saha Matturie denies six counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault relating to seven women.
The trial continues.
© Agence France-Presse
