Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy claims he's 'slept with 10,000 women', as rape re-trial begins
29 June 2023, 19:45
Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy told a woman he is accused of raping that he had slept with 10,000 women, a court has heard.
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Mendy, 28, has been in court for a re-trial after jurors could not reach a verdict for two charges his first rape trial.
He is accused of raping a woman, who was aged 24 at the time, at his £4 million Cheshire mansion in October 2020.
He is also accused of the attempting to rape another woman, aged 29 at the time, two years before.
Mendy, who is about to be released by his club, denies both allegations.
The Chester Crown Court jury has been told by judge Stephen Everett that French international footballer Mendy was found not guilty of sexual offences alleged by other women after a trial that ended in January this year.
Mendy was cleared of six counts of rape and one charge of sexual assault against four women in January.
Jurors could not reach verdicts on one count of rape and one of attempted rape against two other alleged victims - meaning Mendy had to be retried.
The judge warned them not to look up details of the past trial or follow coverage in the media, and only decide the case on the evidence heard in court in the current trial.
Benjamin Aina KC, opening the trial to the jury, said: "Benjamin Mendy is a footballer who was under contract to Manchester City FC. He would have parties and social gatherings at his home, The Spinney, in Mottram St Andrew, Cheshire.
"He would have both male and female guests at his social gatherings. It is the prosecution case that on two occasions Mr Mendy took advantage of two of his female guests.
"On one occasion he tried to have forced sex with a female guest, woman A.
"On another occasion he raped a female guest in one of his bedrooms, woman B."
Mr Aina said Mendy first met woman A, a UK student, while in a nightclub in Barcelona in late 2017 and she became intimate with one of his friends.
They kept in touch and a year later she arranged to visit Mendy's friend at the footballer's house, where they stayed after they all went with other girls for a night-out.
Benjamin Mendy arrives at Chester Magistrates Court
The morning after, when she took a shower in the en-suite bathroom, Mendy appeared uninvited, wearing just boxer shorts, and holding himself, and he was "aroused", the court heard.
Mendy is then alleged to have grabbed the woman and tried to rape her on the bed as she tried to struggle free, despite her repeatedly telling him to stop.
Two years later, woman B was out with friends at a bar in Alderley Edge, Cheshire, near Mendy's home, when they were invited back to the footballer's house.
She alleges Mendy took her phone from her, which contained "intimate" photos, then led her to his locked bedroom, as she asked for her phone back.
Mr Aina said Mendy told her "I just wanna have a look at you" and told her to take her clothes off.
Woman B complied, leaving her underwear on, and Mendy then threw her phone on the bed.
As she went to retrieve it, Mendy is alleged to have taken hold of her from behind and raped her despite her telling him she did not want to have sex.
Mr Aina told the jury: "At this stage Mr Mendy took a step back and said 'you're too shy'.
"Mr Mendy said, 'It's fine. I've had sex with 10,000 women'."
Mendy told police on both occasions any sexual contact was consensual and denies any wrongdoing.
The trial continues.
Mendy has not played for Manchester City for two years, since his initial arrest, and is set to be released on Friday.
