Man City star wants rape charges from four different women dismissed

Manchester City star Benjamin Mendy will seek to have rape charges against him dismissed next week when his legal team make an application in court.

The 27-year defender is accused of six rapes and one sexual assault.

The charges relate to four complainants over the age of 16 and are alleged to have taken place between October 2020 and August 2021.

During a brief hearing at Chester Crown Court on Tuesday, Mendy’s legal team said there would be a “substantial” hearing next Wednesday, which would include an application to dismiss charges against him.

Co-defendant Louis Saha Matturie, 40, described as Mendy’s “runner” at a previous hearing, is charged with six counts of rape and one of sexual assault.

Neither defendant was in court or appeared via videolink for today’s hearing.

Mendy and Matturie are due to stand trial on January 24 next year, but judge Patrick Thompson said that date looked “unrealistic”.

The French international has been held in custody at HMP Altcourse, in Liverpool, since being charged with four counts of rape and one sexual assault on August 26.

All five offences are alleged to have taken place at his home in Cheshire.

He is accused of raping a woman three times in October last year.

He allegedly raped a second woman while he was on police bail in August.

The footballer is also accused of a sexual assault in early January 2021.

Mendy, of Prestbury, was charged last month with two further counts of rape.

The offences allegedly took place in Macclesfield, Cheshire, on July 24 and August 23 this year.

At a previous hearing, his lawyer Christopher Stables said that he strenuously denied the allegations.

Premier League champions City spent a reported £49.2 million signing Mendy from French side Monaco in 2017.

He earns £90,000 a week and lives in a £5 million mansion in Prestbury, an upmarket village near Manchester, popular with fellow players.

He was part of France’s World Cup winning squad in 2018, but did not play in the final.

He has made 75 appearances for Man City since signing from Monaco in 2017.

Mendy played in Man City’s first two games this season against Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur but was on the bench for their third game against Norwich City.

The following game was against Arsenal, by which time he had been charged.

In September last year City boss Pep Guardiola revealed Mendy would be out of the game for at least a month due to an injury.

City later suspended the left-back after he was charged.

In a statement, the club said: “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.”