Benjamin Mendy to go on trial early next year accused of rape
The Manchester City footballer spoke only to confirm his name during a 45-minute hearing at Chester Crown Court
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Benjamin Mendy will go on trial early next year accused of the rape of two women and the sexual assault of a third alleged victim.
The Manchester City left-back spoke only to confirm his name during the 45-minute hearing at Chester Crown Court where a date of January 24, 2022 was set for his trial, accused of four counts of rape and one of sexual assault.
The 27-year-old, wearing a cream jogging suit, sat back, arms folded, listening to proceedings translated to him via a French interpreter sat behind him in the dock.
The charges were not put to him and no pleas were entered during the hearing, which dealt largely with administrative matters ahead of the trial.
A further hearing will be held on November 15 and Eleanor Laws QC, defending Mendy, said there would be an application to dismiss the charges on that date.
The alleged attacks, on three different women including one under 18, are said to have happened at his home address on Withinlee Road in Prestbury, Cheshire.
Mendy was charged on August 26 with three counts of rape relating to an alleged incident in October 2020 and with the sexual assault of a woman in early January this year.
He is also charged with raping a woman last month.
The Premier League star was refused bail last month and is currently on remand at HMP Altcourse in Liverpool.
Mendy has played for City since 2017, when he joined from Monaco for a reported £52million.
He was suspended by the club after being charged by police, pending an investigation.
Mendy appeared in the dock along with a co-accused, Louis Saha Matturie, 40, of Eccles, Greater Manchester who is charged with four counts of rape.
The charges relate to three complainants over the age of 16 and are alleged to have taken place between April 2021 and August 2021.
As both defendants were remanded back into custody by Judge Stephen Everett, Matturie, of Edwin Court, Eccles, waved to three women sat in the public gallery who waved back and then put his hands to his face and began to weep.
Mendy, following him down the steps back to the cells, winked to a man in the public gallery as he was led down.