Benjamin Mendy: Jack Grealish was at rape-accused's party, court hears

PA Media Benjamin MendyPA Media
Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy denies seven counts of rape

Footballer Jack Grealish was at Benjamin Mendy's house party where two women were allegedly raped, a court has heard.

The two Manchester City stars had been at a nightclub in the city before going back to Mr Mendy's Cheshire mansion.

A 23-year-old woman has said she was raped by Mr Mendy's friend Louis Saha Matturie in a car when they went out to get more alcohol.

Mr Matturie, 41, and Mr Mendy, 28, have denied various sexual offences.

Jurors were played a police interview of a young woman accusing Mr Mendy and Mr Matturie of rape.

The woman, who was 17 at the time, said Mr Mendy raped her twice at his home during the gathering, where Mr Mendy's friends, and Mr Grealish and his friends from Birmingham, were also present.

She told police Mr Matturie asked her to the nightclub in the early hours of 23 August last year.

'Absolutely distraught'

She arrived at around 03:30 BST and was outside the club shortly before Mr Mendy and Mr Matturie left.

She said: "They were with Jack Grealish. There were a few girls around him but they were taking pictures and video with his friends.

"The club did not like that. They wanted the pics to be deleted.

"There was a bit of a talking to. It took a while for them to come out."

The teenager got a taxi with three other girls and one of Mr Matturie's friends to Mr Mendy's house, where the girls had their mobile phones taken away before going inside, the court was told.

Reuters Jack GrealishReuters
Jack Grealish had been at the China White nightclub in Manchester with Benjamin Mendy, the court hears

She said: "There were already two girls on the couch. They were sat next to Jack."

The court heard Mr Matturie then led the 23-year-old woman away "hand in hand" to get more alcohol because, the witness told police, "Jack had been demanding vodka".

Mr Matturie then allegedly raped her in the car at a local petrol station, the jury heard.

The 17-year-old told police: "I asked her what happened. I took her to the toilet. She's absolutely distraught, in hysterics.

"She just told me she had fallen asleep in the car and woke up with the feeling of him pushing inside her."

The teenager told police she felt "uncomfortable" and did not know what to do but had no phone to call for help.

Later, in a lounge area, she said Mr Mendy began "checking her out" before leading her to an office with a secure lock.

She said Mr Mendy raped her twice inside the office.

Afterwards, the 17-year-old said she went to find the 23-year-old woman and found her in a lounge.

The teenager told police the woman had told her she had had sex with Mr Grealish.

The 17-year-old said she was then raped in a cinema room by Mr Matturie after being raped by Mr Mendy.

She said she saw Mr Grealish "passed out" in the house.

She said she was raped again by Mr Matturie at a Manchester flat on the same day.

Mr Mendy denies seven counts of rape, one count of attempted rape and one count of sexual assault against six young women.

Mr Matturie of Eccles, Salford, denies six counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault relating to seven young women.

Both men say if any sex did take place with women or girls it was consensual.

The trial continues.

Presentational grey line

Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to [email protected]