Benjamin Mendy: Jurors told not to take moralistic approach to verdict

Benjamin Mendy denies seven counts of rape, one count of attempted rape and one count of sexual assault

Jurors at the trial of Benjamin Mendy have been told not to take a "moralistic" approach when considering their verdicts.

Mr Mendy, 28, has denied a number of sex offences, including seven counts of rape.

Giving legal direction, Judge Steven Everett said some jurors were possibly "not impressed" by the Manchester City footballer's behaviour towards women.

But he told them to rely on evidence, not morals.

It has been alleged by the prosecution that Mr Mendy and his friend Louis Saha Matturie raped a number of women at the footballer's mansion in Cheshire or his apartment in Manchester, where lockdown-busting parties had been held during the pandemic.

Mr Mendy and Mr Matturie say any sexual contact was consensual.

The judge said: "Please remember this is a court of law and not a court of morals.

"When you were listening to the evidence of witnesses... you may have concluded that both Mr Mendy and Mr Matturie wanted to have sex with a number of women and at times were prepared to have sexual contact with the same woman at the same party on the same day.

"It is entirely possible you have come to the conclusion that you were not impressed with that approach, one which Mr Mendy himself accepted was, to use his words, disrespectful to the women he had sex with.

"Neither defendant is on trial for this activity, or for that matter breaches of lockdown rules or bail conditions.

"You must judge this case on the evidence you have heard and not allow any moralistic view that you have about this behaviour to cloud your judgement."

Louis Saha Matturie denies six counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault

Timothy Cray KC, prosecuting, has accused Mr Mendy of being a "danger to women" who believed the rules did not apply to himself and got it "terribly wrong" in believing women and girls were consenting to have sex with him.

The footballer told the jury he regretted his partying lifestyle and his approach to women but denied seven counts of rape, one count of attempted rape and one count of sexual assault against six young women.

Mr Matturie, 41, of Eccles, Salford, denies six counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault relating to seven young women.

The trial was adjourned until Thursday, when Mr Cray will give the prosecution's closing speech.