Man City’s Benjamin Mendy enjoys sunshine days before he’s due to appear in court accused of 7 counts of rape

BENJAMIN Mendy has been pictured enjoying the sunshine today just days before he is due to appear in court charged with rape.

The Manchester City star, 27, is accused of nine offences in total against six women.

Eamonn and James Clarke

The footballer is accused of seven rapes[/caption]

Mendy is due to appear at Chester Crown Court on May 27 ahead of a trial on July 25.

A pre-trial hearing took place today but the French international did not have to attend.

He was instead pictured on his way to a café in Cheshire in the sunshine.

Mendy was bailed in January after spending 134 days in custody following his arrest in August.

Judge Patrick Thompson released him from prison during a private hearing but imposed a list of “stringent” conditions.

He must surrender his passport and make no contact with complainants.

Mendy must also reside at his six bedroom, £4.8million mansion in Cheshire but is legally free to go out and see friends.

He is charged with seven counts of rape relating to four women, one of sexual assault and one of attempted rape.

One of the counts was carried out on August 23 – just three days before he was charged, it is said.

It is the second rape Mendy allegedly committed while on police bail after his arrest in November.

Mendy is also accused of raping a woman three times at Cheshire mansion in October 2020.

The footballer allegedly sexually assaulted a woman in early January 2021.

Co-defendant Louis Saha Matturie, 40, is accused of 10 offences, involving seven women, including seven counts of rape relating to five women and three of sexual assault.

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

He last played for the club on August 15 during their 1-0 defeat to Tottenham at the start of the season.

In September 2020, City boss Pep Guardiola revealed Mendy would be out of the game for at least a month due to an injury.

In a statement, the club later 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.”

Eamonn and James Clarke

Mendy will stand trial in July[/caption]

Zenpix

A court hearing took place today but he did not have to appear[/caption]