Benjamin Mendy, charged with seven counts of rape, one count of attempted rape, and sexual assault, gave evidence for the first time during his trial in Chester on Monday, as reported by Manchester Evening News and BBC.
Mendy, who won the World Cup with France in 2018, denied non-consensual relations, and said that “women came to [him].” The Manchester City left-back added, “I started to receive lots of messages on Instagram.” Mendy said that this was something new to him.
He claimed that the way in which he spoke to women was “direct” and that, due to his popularity after signing for Manchester City, “10 times the amount of women” approached him. He said that although he started to receive interest from women at the age of 18, when he was playing at Marseille, this interest has intensified. “I know that I’m not Brad Pitt and I know that women didn’t approach me for my looks,” said Mendy.
He also stated that “[if a woman] said no, [he] would have accepted it and stopped.” Mendy has been suspended by Manchester City for the past year and has been on trial in Chester since August. It has since been revealed that the reigning Premier League champions have not been paying his salary during this time. The alleged offenses took place between October 2018 and August 2021 at his home in Prestbury.
After his initial arrest, Mendy continued to host parties with women, a fact he said that he now regrets. He added that due to his solitary existence in prison, he has been able to “reflect” on his decisions. The trial continues.
GFFN | Luke Entwistle
