Jury told of 'weird atmosphere' at Benjamin Mendy's home on night of alleged rape
19.10.2022 - 19:07
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
A jury heard there was a 'weird atmosphere' at the Cheshire home of Benjamin Mendy on the night a woman was allegedly raped there. A woman who had been out at a Manchester nightclub was invited to the house in Prestbury, after meeting another woman in the club, known as Woman Eleven, who would later accuse the Manchester City player's 'fixer' of raping her.
"It was just a really weird atmosphere," the witness said. "Everyone seemed very drunk. It was like the party had happened and we turned up late."
Mr Mendy, 28, is accused of raping a woman, known as Woman Ten, at his home that night in August last year. His co-defendant, Louis Saha Matturie, 41, is also accused of raping Woman Ten that night.
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He has also been accused of raping Woman Eleven on the same day. Both men deny all charges.
Jurors then heard from Woman Twelve, who alleged that Mr Matturie sexually assaulted her in 2016 after meeting with footballers in Sheffield. She told police she saw Mr Matturie at parties in Manchester, including events attended by then Manchester City player Raheem Sterling and Manchester United's Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
Woman Twelve claimed that Mr Wan-Bissaka became 'mardy' after she told him she didn't know who he was. Mr Mendy and Mr Matturie have pleaded not guilty to all charges and are on trial at Chester Crown Court.
The offences Mr Mendy faces, seven counts of rape against four women, one count of attempted rape and one count of sexual assault, are alleged to have taken place at his mansion between October 2018 and August last year, and relate to six women. Mr Matturie, from Eccles, Salford, denies six counts of rape and