Benjamin Mendy: Footballer grabbed woman's groin at party, court told

Prosecutors allege Benjamin Mendy, 28, "turned the pursuit of women for sex into a game"

A woman said she was "shocked" when footballer Benjamin Mendy grabbed her groin during a party at his Cheshire mansion, a court has heard.

She told Chester Crown Court the 28-year-old player was "really trying to grab" her as he passed her in the early hours of 2 January 2021.

The woman told the court moments after the alleged assault he made a sexual gesture towards her.

Mr Mendy, denies eight counts of rape, attempted rape and sexual assault.

The woman alleged the Manchester City left-back told her she looked better when she smiled before she challenged him, prompting him to apologise, the court heard.

In an interview with police played to the jury on Tuesday, the woman said he "sort of just grabbed" her and she "just immediately stopped and thought 'What has just happened?'".

She later added: "I was just shocked. I think I was just taken aback by it because I was just shocked and then realising what had just happened."

The court also heard she immediately went to a bathroom to smoke with her friend but found the door was locked.

She said her friend called for someone to unlock the door, and Mr Mendy came to open it.

The woman said: "I went into the bathroom and we were facing each other... and he's sort of gestured to giving me oral sex."

She said she turned around and then told her friend what had happened, who was "just shocked".

"I don't understand where that [the alleged incident] came from because there was minimal conversation... I was just confused," she told the police interview.

Louis Saha Matturie, 41, is on trial alongside Mr Mendy

The court heard she and her friend considered leaving the party but chose to stay because they were "intoxicated".

Later, when the woman went to the swimming pool at the house with other party guests, she said she "tried to keep her distance" from Mr Mendy, but claimed he approached her again.

She said: "He came right up close to my face and said 'You look better when you smile"'.

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The woman told the police interview the footballer asked why she was angry, to which she said she responded "because of how you touched me" or "because of what you did".

She then claimed he began apologising before trying to "spud" - meaning bump his fist on hers - as a way of smoothing things over.

The defendant denies one count of sexual assault in relation to the incident.

Mr Mendy is on trial with co-defendant Louis Saha Matturie, 41, who is alleged to have had the job of finding women for sex. Mr Matturie, of Eccles, Salford, denies eight counts of rape and four counts of sexual assault relating to eight young women.

The trial continues.