Benjamin Mendy: Man City footballer accused of rape freed on bail

Left-back now faces trial in June

Mendy was suspended by Man City after being charged with rape (PA)

Benjamin Mendy, a Manchester City footballer accused of several serious sex offences against young women, has been released on bail.

Mendy has been charged with eight offences against five different women, including seven counts of rape relating to four women.

The 27-year-old, who also plays for the French national team, has been in custody for 134 days, since his arrest on 26 August.

Judge Patrick Thompson granted him bail until 24 January, when a further pre-trial hearing is planned.

His trial was due to start this month but it has now been pushed back to June at the earliest.

The full bail conditions were not given in open court but Mendy was told he must live at his home address, not to contact complainants and to surrender his passport by midnight on Friday.

Mendy, wearing a black suit and white shirt, replied, “OK” to the judge.

His charges stem from allegations dating back to October 2020. He is charged with three counts of rape, which allegedly took place on 11 October 2020; sexual touching on 2 January 2021; two counts of rape on 24 July 2021 and two counts of rape on 23 August 2021.

None of the women involved, as complainants of alleged sex offences, can be identified.

Mendy was arrested and charged with rape by Cheshire Police on 26 August. He had been held at HMP Altcourse in Liverpool before being transferred to HMP Manchester.

He had been refused bail three times.

The French international played as a left-back for Man City from 2017 until the club suspended him after his arrest.

He appeared in court on Friday alongside his co-defendant, Louis Saha Matturie, of Eccles, Greater Manchester.

Matturie, 40, is accused of six counts of rape and one of sexual assault.

Ian Unsworth QC, prosecuting, told the court that further charges of one count of rape and one count of sexual assault were authorised for Matturie on Thursday.

He will appear in court next week on the additional charges. A decision on the application for bail by Matturie has yet to be made.

Additional reporting by PA