Benjamin Mendy: Footballer shocked to be arrested for rape, trial told

Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy told police he was "shocked" to be arrested for rape, a court heard.

Mr Mendy was interviewed by police multiple times in relation to a number of rape and sexual assault allegations, Chester Crown Court was told.

The jury heard the 28-year-old gave prepared statements to detectives followed by "no comment" interviews on instruction by his solicitor.

Mr Mendy and Louis Saha Matturie, 41, have denied a number of sex offences.

Timothy Cray KC, prosecuting, read the prepared statement Mr Mendy gave in relation to the first of the young women he is alleged to have raped.

The woman, aged 24, claims he raped her three times at his home in Cheshire in October 2020.

Mr Mendy said in the statement he went out to a bar in Alderley Edge, along with Mr Matturie, and met some girls who were invited back to his house.

While there he saw one girl using her phone, which visitors had been instructed not to do, to video his home, he said.

He told police: "I asked her to delete the video. She gave me her phone and I deleted it.

"As I did so a photo of her with no clothes on came up on screen. She said she had more photos of her like that and we agreed to go upstairs to my bedroom so she could show me more."

He said in the statement that after being shown more photos the pair started kissing, the woman gave him oral sex and they agreed to "play around" but she did not want to go further.

He said the 24-year-old left and he ended up having sex with one of her friends from the bar, who stayed with him in his bed overnight.

He told detectives: "I'm shocked to be accused of rape and false imprisonment. All sexual activity between me and her was completely consensual.

"I did nothing to prevent her from leaving."

Mr Mendy gave a further three prepared statements to police in relation to separate women he had allegedly raped where he told detectives the sex was consensual.

He 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.

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