Benjamin Mendy is a French footballer currently playing for FC Lorient. He’s one of the best defenders in the world. That said, his career was derailed for over two years after allegations of sexual assault were leveled against him in 2021. This isn’t the first time a highly profiled footballer has been accused of rape. In this article, let’s go through the timeline of his case and how it affected his footballing career.
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What Happened to Benjamin Mendy?
In 2021, reports emerged that the Frenchman was charged with four counts of rape and another sexual assault in Cheshire. Mendy was taken into custody and was in jail for 134 days. He was released on bail in January 2022 but had to comply with strict measures.
He surrendered his passport to the authorities, wasn’t allowed to communicate with the case complainants, and was being closely monitored electronically.
Benjamin Mendy’s trial began on August 2022, and the footballer pleaded not guilty to all the counts. His case at the Chester Court was overseen by a jury of 12 members, six men and six women plus two alternates.
On August 21, Mendy was cleared on one count of rape but still had to return to court to clear his name of the remaining six charges. After five months, the juror at Chester Court dropped four other counts of rape and sexual assault. However, they remained undecided on two charges which forced a retrial.
During the proceedings, Mendy was described as a “predator”. However, the Frenchman denied forcing women to have sex with him. He maintained that any sexual activities were consensual.
The retrial occurred on June 2023, and the case verdict was delivered on July 2023. The jury members found him not guilty of the remaining charges and cleared him of all allegations. This brought his more than two-year-long case to an end.
Afterwards, Mendy released a statement through his lawyer stating the need for privacy to build his life.
“Benjamin Mendy would like to thank the members of the jury for focusing on the evidence in this trial, rather than on the rumour and innuendo that have followed this case from the outset,”
“In the three years since the police started investigating this matter, Mr Mendy has tried to remain strong, but the process has inevitably had a serious impact on him. We now ask for privacy so he can begin rebuilding his life.”
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Benjamin Mendy’s Career
After the allegations against him surfaced, Manchester City suspended the defender but made no further statements as the legal case was ongoing.
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Mendy left City in June 2023 after his contract expired. He hadn’t played for them since his suspension, and reports indicate that City stopped playing him in September 2021. That said, the Frenchman negotiates with his former employer to reclaim his pay after a no-guilty verdict.
He’s also selling his house in Chesire for £5 million to settle his legal debts and reportedly avoid bankruptcy.
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Benjamin Mendy’s Return to Football
Shortly after his no-guilty verdict was issued, Mendy marked his return to football after he signed a two-year deal with French side FC Lorient.
The left-back is a world cup winner with France and has won the Premier League title, FA Community Shield, and the EFL Cup with Manchester City.
No one doubts the footballing abilities of Benjamin Mendy, but this case will always taint his image.
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