What Happened to Benjamin Mendy? Is Benjamin Mendy Back to Training? What was Benjamin Mendy Accused of?
by Ayisha
Updated Jul 19, 2023
What Happened to Benjamin Mendy?
Benjamin Mendy, a former footballer for Manchester City, faced serious legal charges related to rape and attempted rape. However, he has been found not guilty on these charges in two separate trials.
The first trial resulted in his acquittal on six counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, but the jury could not reach a verdict on two charges, leading to a second trial. In the second trial, Mendy was again found not guilty, and he walked free from Chester Crown Court in northwest England.
After the legal ordeal that lasted for three years, Mendy expressed his relief and gratitude, stating "Alhamdulillah," meaning "praise be to God" in Arabic, outside the court. His lawyer, Jenny Wiltshire, expressed Mendy's joy over the correct verdict and thanked the jury for focusing on the evidence rather than the rumors surrounding the case.
Mendy, now looking to rebuild his life, has asked for privacy following the trials. Throughout the process, the case had a significant impact on him, and he is now seeking the space and time to move forward with his life.
Who is Benjamin Mendy?
Born on July 17, 1994, Benjamin Mendy is a professional footballer from France, renowned for playing as a left-back. Currently, he is without a club as a free agent, with his last stint being with Manchester City. He also represented the France national team from 2017 until 2019.
Mendy's football journey began in Le Havre's youth academy, where he progressed through the ranks and made his debut with the club's reserve team in 2010. A year later, he earned a promotion to the first team.
After spending three seasons with Le Havre, Mendy made a move to Ligue 1 club Marseille in 2013. He enjoyed three fruitful seasons with Les Olympiens before transferring to Monaco, where he contributed to their national championship victory in the 2016-2017 season.
In the summer of 2017, Mendy made a significant move to Manchester City in England, securing a world-record transfer fee for a defender at that time. His debut season in the Premier League saw him win the domestic title.
However, in 2021, Mendy's career took a turn when he was arrested on allegations of rape, leading to his suspension by Manchester City and subsequent remand in custody while awaiting trial.
After nearly two years since his final appearance for City, Mendy's contract expired in June 2023, and he was released. In the following month, he was acquitted of all charges, having been found not guilty.
What was Benjamin Mendy Accused of?
Benjamin Mendy, the former footballer for Manchester City, faced serious accusations related to sexual offenses. He was accused of multiple charges, including rape and attempted rape.
The allegations led to a lengthy legal process that spanned over three years, during which Mendy had to endure the scrutiny and impact of the case on his personal and professional life.
In the first trial, Mendy was accused of six counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. However, during this trial, the jury could not reach a verdict on two of the charges, resulting in a hung jury for those particular allegations. As a result, a second trial was necessary to address the undecided charges.
In the second trial, which took place later, Benjamin Mendy was again accused of the charges that the first jury could not decide upon. Following this second trial, he was ultimately found not guilty on the charge of rape and the separate charge of attempted rape.
This verdict resulted in his acquittal, allowing him to walk free from Chester Crown Court in northwest England. Throughout the legal proceedings, Mendy maintained his innocence, and his defense team emphasized the importance of focusing on the evidence rather than the rumors and speculation surrounding the case.
Ultimately, the jury in the second trial reached the decision that Mendy was not guilty of the remaining charges, leading to his exoneration on all the sexual offense allegations brought against him.
Benjamin Mendy Story
Benjamin Mendy's story is one of highs and lows, from his rise as a talented footballer to facing serious legal accusations that impacted his personal and professional life. Born on July 17, 1994, in Longjumeau, France, Mendy began his football journey in the youth ranks of Le Havre in his home country.
He later played for clubs like Olympique de Marseille and AS Monaco before making a significant move to Manchester City in 2017 for a reported fee of around $68 million. At Manchester City, Mendy quickly established himself as a skillful left-back and an integral part of the team's success.
He was part of the squad that won the Premier League title in the 2017-2018 season. His performances earned him recognition and admiration as one of the world's most celebrated footballers.
However, in August 2021, Mendy's life took a drastic turn when he was suspended by Manchester City after facing serious legal charges related to sexual offenses. He was accused of multiple charges, including rape and attempted rape, by seven women.
The accusations led to a lengthy legal process, resulting in two crown court trials. During the trials, Mendy vehemently denied the charges, asserting that the encounters were consensual.
In the first trial, he was found not guilty of six counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. However, the jury could not reach a verdict on two charges, leading to a second trial where Mendy was once again found not guilty of one count of rape and one count of attempted rape.
Both juries did not believe the allegations made by his accusers beyond a reasonable doubt. Throughout the trials, Mendy's reputation suffered, and his football career, at least in the UK, appeared to be over.
He faced significant media attention and scrutiny, and his lawyer, Eleanor Laws, KC, argued that her client had been a victim of false accusations and a "cesspit of toxic gossip and toxic lies" orchestrated by the accusers seeking financial gains. There is no mention of Mendy returning to training or resuming his football career. The last update was about his acquittal in the second trial.
What Happened to Benjamin Mendy? - FAQs
Benjamin Mendy faced serious legal charges related to sexual offenses, including accusations of rape and attempted rape.
Benjamin Mendy went through two crown court trials. The first trial resulted in his acquittal on six counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, while the second trial addressed the remaining undecided charges.
In the second trial, Mendy was found not guilty on one count of rape and one count of attempted rape, leading to his exoneration on all the sexual offense allegations.
Benjamin Mendy expressed relief and gratitude after the trials, stating "Alhamdulillah" (meaning "praise be to God" in Arabic) outside the court.
After the trials, Benjamin Mendy asked for privacy, as he aims to rebuild his life after the three-year legal ordeal.
The legal process had a significant impact on Benjamin Mendy's personal and professional life, affecting his reputation and football career.
Mendy's defense team claimed that he was a victim of false accusations and a "cesspit of toxic gossip and toxic lies" orchestrated by the accusers seeking financial gains.