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A woman accusing Man City star Benjamin Mendy of rape today told a court that it was ‘like arguing with a brick wall’ as she continually rejected his sexual advances.
The alleged victim was the first of three women who claim they were raped by the French defender at a two day pool party at his £4.8 million mansion between 23 and 24 July last year.
The 22-year-old told Mendy’s rape trial at Chester Crown Court today that she had met Mendy in a Manchester club three days before.
She said she had been invited back to the 28-year-old’s house – The Spinney in Prestbury, Cheshire – on Friday, July 23 for a ‘pre party drink’ and when she arrived and the atmosphere was ‘nice and friendly.’
But the witness said that, having been asked to follow Mendy downstairs, he began trying to have sex with her.
She told the court that he continued with his advances, despite her telling him to stop.
‘I did not know what more to do in that moment,’ she told the court.
‘I had given every excuse to get out of that situation. It was like arguing with a brick wall.
‘I ended up by giving in. There was nothing else I could say or do. We ended up having sex.’
A woman accusing Man City star Benjamin Mendy (pictured outside court today) of rape today told a court that it was ‘like arguing with a brick wall ‘ as she continually rejected his sexual advances
While at the party, the woman says she told Mendy’s friend and fixer Louis Saha Matturie (pictured arriving at court today) – who is the footballer’s co-defendant in the case – that she was going to work
Speaking about how the night had started, she said: ‘We were just chilling, It was a nice vibe.’
While at the party, the woman says she told Mendy’s friend and fixer Louis Saha Matturie – who is the footballer’s co-defendant in the case – that she was going to work.
She claimed that Matturie had offered her money to stay, but she told him she would not change her plans.
The witness claimed that Mendy whispered in her ear to come downstairs to the pool area and then sent her a second message on Snapchat asking her to go downstairs with him.
She said: ‘I thought it was weird – it was the second message. I said to one of the girls “I am doing downstairs and if I am not back in five or ten minutes, come and get me”.
‘I did not know what I was going downstairs for.
‘We moved into the cinema room. We ended up kissing and he pulled his pants down.
‘He was saying that all these other girls wanted to f**k him like it would make me want to do stuff with him.
‘He was saying “trust me”. But I said “why should I trust you, I don’t know you”. I had only met him three days before. I remember his language was quite direct and crude
‘I had to keep making excuses. I said I needed to go to work, that I was not on the pill and I did not want to have his baby to scare him.
‘I said I did not have a partner and having sex would be painful. I said it was not something I wanted to do especially with someone I didn’t know.
‘I wanted to get out of that situation and said I was late for work but it was like arguing with a brick wall. Nothing seemed to faze him.’
Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy arrives at Chester Crown Court where he is accused of eight counts of rape, one count of sexual assault and one count of attempted rape
She said that they were sitting on bean bags and she was insisting that she did not want to have sex.
‘I did not know what more to do in that moment. I had given every excuse to get out of that situation. I ended up by giving in.
‘There was nothing else I could say or do. We ended up having sex.
‘I was on all fours and he was behind me with his hand on my back. I was saying “no” and he was saying “let me”.
‘It was all over very quick, it was like 20 seconds. I felt dirty, unclean and ashamed.’
Mendy denies eight counts of rape, one count of attempted rape and one count of sexual assault against seven young women.
Co-accused Louis Saha Matturie, 41, is the footballer’s friend and fixer, alleged to have had the job of finding young women for sex.
Matturie, of Eccles, Salford, denies eight counts of rape and four counts of sexual assault relating to eight young women.
Both men say if any sex did take place with women or girls it was consensual.
It comes as the court heard how one victim planned to sue Mendy’s club, Manchester City because ‘they let a predator continue to play and put other girls at risk’.
She told a police officer after reporting her allegations: ‘Let him play, I am going to sue him’, the jury at Chester Crown Court was told.
The witness added: ‘If he had stopped before the party, what happened to me and happened to everyone else would never have happened. They let a predator continue playing and put other girls at risk.
Co-accused Louis Saha Matturie (pictured arriving at court today), 41, is the footballer’s friend and fixer, alleged to have had the job of finding young women for sex
‘It was not about getting anything out of it. The message was him being allowed to continue to play when he is endangering other lives.
‘What happened to me was nothing compared to what happened to the other girls.
‘He was still being allowed to play, live as normal, allowed to go to training and play games and go to parties and go clubbing like he had done nothing wrong.’
The woman said that she had made the comments at the time ‘out of anger’ but had not pursued any compensation claim against the Premier League club.
The witness insisted she had minimal contact with Mendy, who denies multiple sex assaults, after the alleged incident.
She also admitted that she had exchanged messages the following day after seeing press reports about Mendy and had asked the friend if she should sell her story.
The witness said: ‘It was a massive party. I remember saying that and laughing about it but I would not sell a story.’
She denied that they had danced together during the two hours that she had spent in the swimming pool after the incident.
The woman, who was cross examined by Eleanor Laws QC, for Mendy, was shown a two-second video clip of the party.
It showed Mendy, dressed in dark glasses and a white singlet, dancing with a group including girls, some of whom were inhaling from balloons to loud music.
The witness was shown at the end of the clip dancing next to Mr Mendy and asked if she wanted to change her claim that she had been trying to ‘keep my distance ‘ from the football star. The girl replied: ‘I was just at the party like everyone else.’
The trial continues.