Benjamin Mendy, a Manchester City midfielder, was found not guilty of six counts of rape and will have two additional cases retried.

 

Mendy and Louis Saha Matturie, two Manchester City football players, argued that the sex was consensual and refuted all allegations against them.

In relation to six counts of rape and one charge of sexual assault against five women, football player Benjamin Mendy was found not guilty.

He will face a new trial this summer on two additional charges after the jury was discharged for failing to reach a decision.

Three allegations of rape against two women against co-accused Louis Saha Matturie, Mendy's alleged "fixer," were dismissed from the case.

Six additional counts against him went before the jury, but they were unable to reach a conviction.

After 13 women brought accusations against the couple, the trial got under way in August.

The two accusations of alleged rape and attempted rape that the jury was unable to resolve will be retried against Mendy in June.

As the jury foreman announced the unanimous verdicts, the 28-year-old covered his face with both hands and softly rocked back and forth.

Although they arrived on Wednesday, they couldn't be disclosed until the jury had finished deliberating the other two accusations.

The jury was asked by the judge on Friday if they would render verdicts given more time. The foreman, though, retorted: "No. Now that we have reached this stage, we cannot agree."

Both men disputed the accusations and insisted that all the sexual activity was voluntary despite Mendy being accused of being a "predator" who made the pursuit of women for sex into a game.

In a statement, Manchester City noted that while it "acknowledges the judgement from Chester Crown Court," it was unable to comment because Mendy's case was still pending.

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