Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy denies nine sex offences

Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy has pleaded not guilty to nine sexual offences against six women.

The 27-year-old French international denies seven counts of rape, one count of sexual assault and one count of attempted rape.

Mendy, who lives in the village of Prestbury in Cheshire, stood in the dock at Chester Crown Court on Monday as the charges were put to him to enter pleas for the first time.

All the offences are alleged to have taken place at his home between October 2018 and August 2021.

He entered his pleas during a hearing ahead of his trial scheduled to begin from 25 July, 2022.

His co-defendant Louis Saha Matturie, 40, also entered not guilty pleas to all charges.

Matturie, of Eccles, Salford, denies eight counts of rape and four counts of sexual assault, relating to eight young women.

His alleged offences span July 2012 to August 2021.

After both defendants entered their pleas, the hearing went into private session with press excluded from the courtroom.

Both defendants are on bail.