Manchester City star Benjamin Mendy and his alleged fixer Louis Saha Matturie’s rape trial was adjourned today after a problem with a speaker meant evidence could not be played.
28-year-old footballer Mendy was charged with being a predator who displayed ‘callous indifference yesterday.
He denied eight charges of rape. One count each of attempted rape or sexual assault.
The Premier League star and France international is alleged to have committed the offences against the women between October 2018 and August last year at his home address.
Matturie, 41 – who is being referred to as ‘Saha’ in court – denies eight counts of rape and four counts of sexual assault, relating to eight young women. The alleged offences span July 2012 to August last year.
The hearing today started with a few seconds of video recorded evidence from the first alleged victim, whose legs were seen shaking.
She was speaking about an incident that happened in October 2018, but only came forward after Mendy’s initial arrest was made public.
But the playback had to be halted because the judge was unable to hear it on the court speakers, with the case adjourned for an hour. It later became apparent it could not be fixed quickly and the jury told to come back on Wednesday.
The court heard yesterday allegations that Saha procured young women in Manchester nightclub Chinawhite before taking them back to the star’s Cheshire mansion to be raped by the pair.
Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy arrives at Chester Crown Court this morning
France International star, Premier League player and France football international are accused of the crimes against the women committed at his house in October 2018 and August 2018.
Louis Saha Matturie (also known as Saha) arrived at court this morning.
Mendy accuses Saha of being Mendy’s fixer, and procuring women to return to their home.
Mendy allegedly forced two victims, who could not be identified for legal reasons, into his master bedroom and downstairs office at the multi-million-pound home. Each of their homes had a unique locking system that could only be opened from inside.
Inside The Spinney Mansion, Cheshire, you can see a huge bathroom where Benjamin Mendy is alleged to have raped many women.
The victims claimed that they were robbed of their mobile phones when they went to the mansion. Some also said they were given alcohol as a way to get them to comply.
Zwei others claimed they were held in panic rooms where they were attacked.
Mendy, who could not be identified for legal reasons, said that Mendy forced them into the master bedroom and downstairs offices.
They both had special locking mechanisms that created a panic room in the event of burglary. This can be only opened from the inside and not the exterior.
One would have to learn how to unlock these doors from inside. The women thought they were locked in.
Mendy (28 years old) is charged with being a predator who displayed ‘callous indifference’. He denies eight counts of rape. One count each of attempted rape or sexual assault.
Saha, 40, has also entered not guilty pleas to all charges he faces which include eight counts of rape and four counts of sexual assault.
The enormous pool/snooker tables were seen in Spinney’s walkthrough video, but it looks slightly different in film.
Mendy also showed his gym during the walkthrough video that was shown to him. Now, the mural depicts Mendy in this room.
Mendy is shown here in the cinema room of his Spinney house. Although the room was remodeled, it was still shown to jurors.
Timothy Cray QC, the prosecution said that Saha was determined to bring attractive women to The Spinney for Mendy’s enjoyment.
A woman in Manchester, Chinawhite, went to her house July 23rd last year and claimed she had been raped.
Mr Cray added: ‘He led her downstairs to the cinema room, she told her friend ‘If I am not back in five or ten minutes please come looking for me’.
“Her friend tried to go downstairs, but Mendy and two other associates blocked the staircase.
The club also had two other 19-year-old women who went there. They were also at Mendy’s home, and they were each allegedly raped.
Yesterday, the court heard that Mendy had attacked two women and said “Don’t move,” while the second was awakened by the footballer assaulting her.
Mendy’s and his coaccused were told in Mendy’s case that they had ‘turned the search for victims for sex into an entertainment’ and crossed the line of consent “over and over.”
During the inspection of the whole house that was presented to the jury, the kitchen was also shown.
A walkthrough video was shown to the jury of the property. It has since been redecorated.
The footage showed an indoor swimming pool with a home gym. It also included a large changing area, complete with spa accessories, vanity mirrors, huge wardrobes, as well as the player’s private bathroom.
It was stated that the opening statement of the case involved’men who sexually assault and rape women because they believe they have power and can do it without consequences’.
Tuesday lunchtime saw the jury see a tour of The Spinney Mansion. This included a Jaws-style mural, swimming pool, and gym. Mendy’s name was plastered on the walls.
The jury was opened by Mr Cray, QC. He said: “The case is straightforward. This case is not about football. This is just another chapter of an old tale: Men who sexually assault and rape women because they believe they have the power and can do it without consequences.
“They were very aware of what they were doing. They made the search for women to sex a fun game. They would cross this line again and again. They were ready to cross that line over and over again. That was their strategy.
“These women were disposable objects to be used only for sex, and then thrown away.
Mendy’s house at that time was central to the case. Mendy’s home is a key part of how defendants took control over the victims, according to us.
“It is a mansion. It wasn’t isolated at all, which was what many victims thought.
“On several occasions, victims were forced to give their phones away when they arrived.” Some complainants were brought to locked rooms.
Jurors were told by Mr Cray that Saha of Eccles in Salford was Mendy’s friend and fixer. One of his tasks was to ‘find young women’ and create situations for them to be raped or sexually assaulted.
Mendy was described by the prosecutor as a “reasonably prominent football player”, who, “because of his wealth and position, others were ready to help him get what he wanted”.
He said, “Our case is that defendants’ pursuits of these 13 females turned them into predators who were ready to commit serious sexual offenses.”
He stated that jurors would hear the jury repeat this phrase a lot.
Mendy, Saha said in broad terms that all women consented and willingly had sex. There are only two allegations that there was a denial of sexual activity.
Timothy Cray said that there were no big disputes about time or place and that “what happened” isn’t controversial.
The central question here is whether or not the women agreed to have sex.
Cray stated that the cases represent where the line should be drawn.
It will allow you to assess the guilt of each defendant in each case. After listening to the stories and hearing about the issues they faced, you can determine the truth.
The names of Raheem, Jack Grealish and Kyle Walker as well as Riyad Mahrez, Riyad Mahrez, John Stones (all current or former Manchester City players) were given to jurors last week in preparation for the trial.
His Honour Judge Everett wanted jurors to have no personal connections to any person who could be referenced during trial or called as witnesses.
Last week, Judge Everett (Recorder of Chester) told the jury: “Maybe you’ve heard their names.” One of your readers will know that Mr Mendy plays for Manchester City as a professional footballer.
The trial will last approximately 15 weeks and both defendants have been released on bail.
The women involved in the claims cannot be identified. Reporting restrictions are also applied prior to the trial.
The jury consisted of eight women and six men. There will also be two people who are being discharged following the closing of the case.
Mendy has played for Manchester City since 2017, when he joined from Monaco for a reported £52 million.
After being arrested by police, he was immediately suspended from the club.
Judge Everett stated to the jury that there were 22 counts. He also said that if anyone is feeling overwhelmed, they will offer a lot advice on how to deal with it.
‘Don’t let that make you feel overwhelmed. The trial may continue until November.
Continue the trial.