The trial of Manchester City's French defender Benjamin Mendy, accused of eight rapes, an attempted rape and a sexual assault, has been postponed for two weeks and will begin on August 10, British justice told AFP on Friday.
The 27-year-old's trial was due to start on July 25 but will eventually start on August 10, the Chester court in north-west England has heard.
After several months in pre-trial detention, the 2018 world champion was released in early January and placed under judicial supervision, pending trial.
He has been suspended since the end of August 2021 by his club Manchester City.
The ten counts brought against him and which he denies concern facts which allegedly took place between October 2018 and August 2021 at his home in Prestbury, Cheshire.
His co-accused, Louis Saha Matturie - unrelated to former footballer Louis Saha - is being prosecuted for eight rapes and four sexual assaults on eight women between July 2012 and August 2021, the latter also pleaded not guilty.
The most expensive defender in history in 2017
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 hopes for the left-back position.
But the 27-year-old's career has been hampered for four years by injuries and he has never really justified the hopes placed in him.
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