Manchester City's French defender Benjamin Mendy, already accused of seven rapes, an attempted rape and a sexual assault, has been accused of a new rape by another woman, we learned on Wednesday from a judicial source.
Nine days ago, the 27-year-old pleaded not guilty to all charges against him by six women.
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But another accusation of rape, brought by another woman had been added to the list, the judge presiding over the hearing having ordered the press not to mention it until the lifting of this ban on Wednesday.
Mendy, who had not yet been formally notified of this new charge, has not yet had to decide on his defense.
Read alsoFive questions to understand the Benjamin Mendy affair
The ten charges against him relate to events that allegedly took place between October 2018 and August 2021 at his home in Prestbury, Cheshire.
The player will appear in court with a jury on July 25, alongside a co-defendant, Louis Saha Matturie, 40, unrelated to former footballer Louis Saha.
Prosecuted for eight rapes and four sexual assaults on eight women between July 2012 and August 2021, the latter also pleaded not guilty.
After several months in pre-trial detention, the 2018 world champion was released in early January and placed under judicial supervision, pending his trial which is due to open on July 25.
Read alsoBenjamin Mendy, the descent into hell of a world champion
The case started at the end of August 2021 when the Manchester City club announced the suspension of the player, under contract until June 2023, without further explanation.
English justice then quickly announced that the player had been placed in pre-trial detention after being accused of four rapes and a sexual assault, by three women including a minor.
Other charges were then added.
Trained in Le Havre, revealed in Marseille and spent a season with Monaco, Benjamin Mendy became the most expensive defender in history in 2017 when the Citizens paid 52 million pounds (about 61.4 million euros at the current price). ) to secure his services.
When he arrived at City, he was considered one of the great French and world prospects at left-back.
But the 27-year-old's career has been hampered for four years by injuries and the player has never really justified the hopes placed in him.