Benjamin Mendy denies being ‘a danger to women’ at rape trial
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Version 0 of 1. Footballer admits having parties during Covid lockdown but tells court any sexual contact was consensual The Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy has denied he is a “danger to women” who thinks the normal rules do not apply to him, a court has heard. The Premier League player said his life went “crazy” and he was “taking risks” by partying during the Covid-19 lockdown, but he said he had never raped or sexually assaulted women. The French international, 28, is accused of being a “predator” who turned the pursuit of women for sex into a game, regularly going clubbing in Manchester before holding “after-parties” where young women were sexually assaulted. He denies rape, attempted rape and sexual assault relating to six women and told the jury that any sexual contact was always consensual. One rape complainant has claimed Mendy told her having sex with him was a “privilege” and that he had had sex with 10,000 women. During a second day of cross-examination at Chester crown court on Wednesday, Timothy Cray KC, prosecuting, told Mendy: “You didn’t really see them as people, just things to be used for sex. That’s how you did see them, and how you would get it terribly wrong about whether they were consenting or not.” Mendy replied: “No.” The jury heard that, during the pandemic, the flat Mendy rented in Manchester and his home, The Spinney, in Mottram St Andrew near Alderley Edge in Cheshire, were used for lockdown-busting parties to prey on young women. Cray continued: “Did you think the rules did not apply to you? You had parties because you had this lust for sex?” Mendy said: “No. At the time I was just partying. I was not thinking that well.” Cray said: “You were a danger to women, weren’t you? Because you did not see any consequences of breaking really important rules?” Mendy said: “No, never. Having a social life, I did lots of things.” The jurors were shown a CCTV clip of Mendy in a nightclub, dancing with women and holding his crotch. Cray said: “That’s what you thought about at the time – what’s in your pants – and you had sex with them no matter what they thought.” Asked about one complainant, who alleges that Mendy tried to pull her towel away and force her on top of him, he replied: “Not even one time I use force … not at all.” Eleanor Laws KC, defending Mendy, asked him about his attitude to women and lifestyle at the time of the alleged offences. Mendy said: “I was trying to be direct, to avoid conversation, go on dates … I was crazy. I was taking risks. The party, the Covid rules … it was like the train was going fast and I was keeping going, keeping going, until I went to prison – the first time I was really alone and the first time to think about everything.” Mendy denies seven counts of rape, one count of attempted rape and one count of sexual assault against six young women. His co-accused, Louis Saha Matturie, 41, of Eccles, Salford, denies six counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault relating to seven young women. The trial continues. |