LONDON – Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy denied being “a danger to women” as he gave evidence for the third day of his trial for a string of sexual offences including rape, attempted rape and sexual assault.
Prosecution lawyer, Timothy Cray KC, accused Mendy of seeing the alleged victims as just “things to be used for sex”.
The 28-year-old denied that allegation, but admitted to regrets over a party lifestyle that he described as being on a “fast train” that kept going until he was arrested and initially spent time in jail after being remanded in custody.
The jury heard that, during the coronavirus pandemic, a flat rented by Mendy in Manchester and his Cheshire home were used for lockdown-busting parties.
“At the time I was just partying. I was not thinking that well,” Mendy told the court.
“I was crazy. I was taking risks. The party, the Covid-19 rules... it was like the train was going fast and I kept going, kept 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-defendant Louis Saha Matturie denies six counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault relating to seven women.
The trial continues. – AFP, November 10, 2022
