28-year-old Benjamin Mendy has been found not guilty following rape accusations for attacking a 24-year-old woman at his £4m mansion in Cheshire in October 2020. He was also accused of attempted rape of another woman, aged 29, who said he molested her at his home two years before.

However the French man was cleared after a long deliberation by the jury at Chester Crown Court this afternoon.

Mendy was in tears after being cleared.

A statement by his lawyers said he would now ‘rebuild his life’, and a likely return to top flight football.

According to Jenny Wiltshire, Head of Serious & General Crime at Hickman & Rose said:

‘Benjamin Mendy would like to thank the members of the jury for focussing on the evidence in this trial, rather than on the rumour and innuendo that have followed this case from the outset.

“This is the second time that Mr Mendy has been tried and found not guilty by a jury. He is delighted that both juries reached the correct verdicts.

“It has been almost 3 years since the police started investigating this matter. Mr Mendy has tried to remain strong but the process has, inevitably had a serious impact on him.

“He thanks everyone who has supported him throughout this ordeal and now asks for privacy so he can begin rebuilding his life.”