Benjamin Mendy: Manchester City star accused of sex offences charged with further rape count

Footballer appeared at Chester Crown Court on Wednesday

The French left-back has been suspended by his club (PA Wire)

A high-profile Manchester City footballer charged with a string of sex offences has been accused of a further count of rape.

Benjamin Mendy, 27, was given the additional charge last week but it could not be reported for legal reasons.

Mendy, a French international, is now accused of eight offences against five different women, including seven counts of rape relating to four women.

The alleged victims can not be named for legal reasons.

The fresh charge relates to a new complainant and is alleged to have taken place in July this year.

Reporting restrictions were lifted on Wednesday as Mendy appeared at Chester Crown Court for a hearing ahead of his trial next year.

He is appearing alongside his co-defendant Louis Saha Matturie, 40, of Eccles, Greater Manchester, who is also accused of serious sex offences against young women.

Mendy, of Withinlee Road, Prestbury, Cheshire, has been in custody since his arrest on 26 August.

He lined out at left-back for Man City before the club suspended him after he was charged with rape by Cheshire Police.

Mendy joined the Premier League team and current champions in the summer of 2017.

The defender reportedly turned down approaches from Chelsea to join Pep Guardiola's side. He transferred from France’s Ligue 1 team Monaco for a reported £54m.

During the five-minute hearing at Manchester Magistrates' Court, which was delayed due to technical issues, Mendy, who appeared wearing a cream-coloured sweatshirt, spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth.

The footballer was initially charged on 26 August with three counts of rape relating to an alleged incident in October 2020, one count of raping a woman in August this year and the sexual assault of a woman in early January 2021.

Those alleged offences relate to four women over the age of 16 and are alleged to have taken place between October 2020 and August 2021 at his home address.

Additional reporting by Press Association