Benjamin Mendy reveals picking up women was “so easy” and clarifies why he confiscated phones

Benjamin Mendy reveals picking up women was “so easy” and clarifies why he confiscated phones

Benjamin Mendy told the jury that it was “so easy” for him to pick up women while playing for Manchester City, but that his time in prison made him realize that he had been “disrespectful.”

The 28-year-old gave testimony at his trial describing his party lifestyle while playing for the Premier League club.

Additionally, he stated that he “did not bother” about contraception and that having sex with multiple women on the same night and with the same women as his buddies was “normal.”

Mendy, who was remanded in custody for four months after his arrest on rape and sexual assault allegations, would go clubbing up to three times per week before organizing after parties at his house, according to evidence presented at Chester Crown Court.

The French international is accused of sexually assaulting and raping a total of six women on five separate occasions at his rural Cheshire residence between October 2018 and August of last year. Seven counts of rape, one case of sexual assault, and one count of attempted rape are denied by the defendant.

“At the time I was not thinking I can hurt their feelings or they can be upset. If they wanted to have sex and I wanted to – everything was fine and I carry on with my partying.”

Asked by his barrister Eleanor Laws KC how often he would ask women for sex, Mendy said: “Most of the time it was them. Most of the time it was them coming to me. Sometimes I would go to them.”

Also, he was asked how simple it was for him to attract ladies, to which he responded: “Honestly, so easy. I started to receive more texts on my Instagram, on social media. I was not used to it before. Then the way I would talk to women was more direct. And the way women were coming to me like I never had that before. At the beginning [I didn’t know why], but it’s because of the status, access to a lot of things.”

He said this became “ten times worse” in the UK, adding: “Manchester City is one of the best teams in Europe so social media – to be out and I know I’m not Brad Pitt. The way they come to me is not because of my looks, it’s because of football.”

Ms Laws asked: “Did you enjoy it anyway?”

Mendy replied: “Yeah, I would not say it was bad.”

He told the jury that he had time to reflect on his lifestyle while on remand and regrets continuing to host house parties after being questioned by police in response to women’s complaints about his alleged behavior.

“I did nothing wrong, I was just like carry on,” he said.

He told jurors his father died in March 2020 explaining: “When I was in prison I realised a lot of things. Inside I had some pain. When I was feeling happy was when I was drinking and partying. All my life I never had the time to really think about what I was doing. When I went there I was alone.

“You sit down all day and the only thing you can do is think. [I was thinking about] the way I was sleeping with different women and the way I was going out. The way I would forget about my football because sometimes I was upset. But now I can see, for example, talking to my friend about if I can go sleep with the same woman, this is disrespectful.”

He told the jury that he earned £4 per week in prison, which taught him the “worth of money. “The life I had before everything I wanted I would just buy it. I was sad to go there, but at the same time I learned a lot of things about life and the way I was. To meet some people I don’t know and to bring them to my house – it’s some stuff I will not do.”

The footballer admitted that he would confiscate the phones of ladies who attended parties at his home in Mottram St. Andrew if he didn’t know them well or if another player was present.

He said: “They can record, they can post. They send to some friends and send to some people who can come and rob me. I was trying to keep private.”

He told the jury that his friend Louis Saha Matturie, 41, who is also on trial, “most of the time” invited girls to parties and conducted errands for him, such as picking up groceries and driving him.

He stated that he would pay Matturie in ‘change’ and added, “If he goes and buys some groceries in Tesco I can give change. If he says he needs help I can help him, I would give him £100 or £200.”

The jury was informed that Mendy was born in Paris to Senegalese parents and had a modest upbringing.

At age 12, he was assigned to a residential football program, and by age 16, he was playing professionally for Le Havre.

After being signed by Marseille, he played for Monaco until being signed by Manchester City in 2016.

“First it was a dream for me to come to this country to play in the Premier League. The people I had around me – everything changed”, he said.

Mendy told the court his brother helped him find his house, known as The Spinney, and added: “I was like wow, this is the first time I have seen a big house like this. I just love it.”

Matturie, of Eccles, Salford, denies seven counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault. Both males assert that any sexual activity was voluntary.

The proceeding continues.

Benjamin Mendy reveals picking up women was “so easy” and clarifies why he confiscated phones