Benjamin Mendy trial: What we know so far
Benjamin Mendy’s trial will begin at Chester Crown Court tomorrow — Wednesday, August 10.
The Manchester City and France defender is facing charges relating to eight counts of rape, one count of sexual assault and one count of attempted rape.
Mendy was arrested in August 2021 and released on bail in January.
What are the charges?
Mendy, 27, stands accused of eight counts of rape, one of sexual assault and one of attempted rape, relating to seven women, between October 2018 and last August.
All the alleged offences are said to have taken place at his home address.
Mendy has denied all the charges apart from the last one, which was added to the charge sheet in June, in relation to which he has not yet entered a plea.
Under UK law, all victims of sexual offences are automatically guaranteed anonymity for life from the moment they make an allegation.
Who else is involved?
Louis Saha Matturie of Eccles, Greater Manchester, has been charged with eight counts of rape and four counts of sexual assault, relating to eight women, between July 2012 and August 2021.
He denies all charges.
How did we get here?
Police began their investigations in November 2020.
Mendy was first charged with four counts of rape and a separate offence of sexual assault in August 2021. Those charges related to three women.
He was remanded in custody and spent 134 days in jail, initially at HMP Altcourse in Liverpool and then HMP Manchester; he was also suspended by City.
Mendy was freed on bail in January, under stringent conditions.
He had to live at his home address, observe a curfew and surrender his passport. He would also be subject to electronic monitoring and was forbidden from making contact with any of the complainants or witnesses.
A trial start date of July 25 was put forward, before August 10 was finally settled on.
The first few days will involve swearing-in a jury, with Mendy and Matturie not expected to attend until some days later.
How long is the trial expected to last?
The trial could last as long as 15 weeks, which would mean an end date in the middle of December.
When did he last play for City?
Mendy’s last appearance was in their first league game of last season — a 1-0 loss at Tottenham Hotspur on August 15, 2021. He also played in the club’s Community Shield defeat by Leicester City at Wembley a week earlier.
On August 26, 2021, City released a statement, saying: “Manchester City can confirm that following his being charged by police today, Benjamin Mendy has been suspended pending an investigation.
“The matter is subject to a legal process and the club is therefore unable to make further comment until that process is complete.”
Mendy has remained suspended by the club since.
https://theathletic.com/3486505/2022/08/09/benjamin-mendy-trial-facts/
Benjamin Mendy trial: What we know so far
Benjamin Mendy’s trial will begin at Chester Crown Court tomorrow — Wednesday, August 10.
The Manchester City and France defender is facing charges relating to eight counts of rape, one count of sexual assault and one count of attempted rape.
Mendy was arrested in August 2021 and released on bail in January.
What are the charges?
Mendy, 27, stands accused of eight counts of rape, one of sexual assault and one of attempted rape, relating to seven women, between October 2018 and last August.
All the alleged offences are said to have taken place at his home address.
Mendy has denied all the charges apart from the last one, which was added to the charge sheet in June, in relation to which he has not yet entered a plea.
Under UK law, all victims of sexual offences are automatically guaranteed anonymity for life from the moment they make an allegation.
Who else is involved?
Louis Saha Matturie of Eccles, Greater Manchester, has been charged with eight counts of rape and four counts of sexual assault, relating to eight women, between July 2012 and August 2021.
He denies all charges.
How did we get here?
Police began their investigations in November 2020.
Mendy was first charged with four counts of rape and a separate offence of sexual assault in August 2021. Those charges related to three women.
He was remanded in custody and spent 134 days in jail, initially at HMP Altcourse in Liverpool and then HMP Manchester; he was also suspended by City.
Mendy was freed on bail in January, under stringent conditions.
He had to live at his home address, observe a curfew and surrender his passport. He would also be subject to electronic monitoring and was forbidden from making contact with any of the complainants or witnesses.
A trial start date of July 25 was put forward, before August 10 was finally settled on.
The first few days will involve swearing-in a jury, with Mendy and Matturie not expected to attend until some days later.
How long is the trial expected to last?
The trial could last as long as 15 weeks, which would mean an end date in the middle of December.
When did he last play for City?
Mendy’s last appearance was in their first league game of last season — a 1-0 loss at Tottenham Hotspur on August 15, 2021. He also played in the club’s Community Shield defeat by Leicester City at Wembley a week earlier.
On August 26, 2021, City released a statement, saying: “Manchester City can confirm that following his being charged by police today, Benjamin Mendy has been suspended pending an investigation.
“The matter is subject to a legal process and the club is therefore unable to make further comment until that process is complete.”
Mendy has remained suspended by the club since.
https://theathletic.com/3486505/2022/08/09/benjamin-mendy-trial-facts/
