French footballer Benjamin Mendy is set to undergo a retrial for two alleged sexual offences in a UK courtroom. The trial, which starts on Monday, follows a previous case where a jury acquitted him of multiple counts but failed to reach verdicts on two charges involving two different women.
Mendy, 28, who currently plays for Manchester City, will appear at Chester Crown Court in northwest England to face one count of rape and one count of attempted rape. In his previous trial that concluded in January, Mendy was cleared of six counts of rape and one count of sexual assault against four women after a six-month trial.
The judge promptly scheduled a retrial for the two charges on which the previous jury could not reach a decision. Mendy, whose contract with Manchester City is reportedly not set to be renewed and expires at the end of this month, has denied all the charges brought against him.
When the not-guilty verdicts were announced in January, Mendy covered his face with both hands and showed signs of relief. His lawyer, Jenny Wiltshire, stated that the footballer was “delighted” to be acquitted of most charges and expressed his desire to “clear his name in relation to the other two charges so he can start rebuilding his life.”
Mendy has consistently denied ever forcing any woman into sexual activity, asserting that any encounters he had were consensual. Since joining Manchester City from Monaco in 2017, Mendy has played 75 matches for the club, although injuries and a loss of form have limited his playing time.
Notably, Mendy has been inactive since August 15, 2021, shortly before he was initially charged with four counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. The defender’s international career for France also came to a halt in November 2019, following his participation in the 2018 World Cup where the team emerged victorious.
The retrial aims to resolve the remaining charges against Mendy, allowing him to move forward and rebuild his life beyond the courtroom.
