Benjamin Mendy found not guilty of six counts of rape

Author: BBC | Published: Friday, January 13, 2023

Benjamin Mendy was accused of luring women to his home and sexually assaulting them. (Photo: Reuters).

Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy has been found not guilty of six counts of rape and one count of sexual assault at Chester Crown Court.

Jurors could not reach verdicts on one count of rape and one of attempted rape, following a six-month trial.

The prosecution is seeking a retrial.

Louis Saha Matturie, 41, was also found not guilty of three counts of rape. Jurors failed to reach verdicts on three counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault against him.

Mr Mendy covered his face with both hands as the jury foreman repeated “not guilty” to the six counts, which related to four young women or teenagers.

The unanimous verdicts were delivered on Wednesday by the seven men and four women on the jury, one juror having been discharged earlier for medical reasons.

The verdicts could not be reported until jurors concluded considering the remaining two counts, after they were given a majority direction by Judge Steven Everett, meaning he would accept a 10-1 majority on any verdict.

But after 14 days of deliberation, jurors could not reach verdicts on Mr Mendy’s alleged attempted rape of a woman, 29, in 2018 and the alleged rape of another woman, 24, in October 2020.

Judge Everett discharged the jury on Friday, ending the trial.

Matthew Conway, prosecuting, said the prosecution would seek a retrial on the counts the jury could not reach verdicts on.

He said: “The prosecution has made a decision. We have made a decision today, which is to proceed on these counts in two separate trials and we seek today a provisional case management.”

Lawyers are discussing dates for future hearings and a trial possibly in June.

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