Manchester City defender, Benjamin Mendy has been charged with an additional count of rape.
The 27-year-old Frenchman now stands accused of eight counts of rape, one account of sexual assault, and one attempted rape.
The latest charge relates to a new complainant, bringing the number of alleged victims to seven.
The Media had been banned from reporting it until order was lifted by Judge Steven Everett during a pre-trial hearing at Chester Crown Court on Wednesday.
Mendy, who is on bail, pleaded not guilty to all but the latest charge in a hearing at Chester Crown Court last week. He has not yet entered a plea for the new charge.
All offences are alleged to have taken place at his home address in Cheshire and span between October 2018 and August last year.
Co-defendant Louis Saha Matturie, 40 and from Eccles, has also entered not guilty pleas to eight counts of rape and four counts of sexual assault, relating to eight alleged victims.
As part of the conditions for his bail, Mendy has had to forfeit his passport and reside at his home in Cheshire. He has also been told not to contact any complainants, who must not be identified in media reports.
Mendy joined Manchester City from Monaco in 2017 in a deal worth more than £50m. The 10-times France international has made more than 70 appearances for City and has won three Premier League medals.
He last played for the club in August of last year and has been suspended since being charged.
Leave a Reply