Court

A WOMAN told the trial of Premier League footballer Benjamin Mendy she saw and heard a girl screaming “rape, rape” at a party attended by the player.His co-accused, Louis Saha Matturie, then started shouting at the woman to “shut up” as police banged on the door to break up the lockdown-busting gathering last year.
Premier League footballer Benjamin Mendy is currently on trial after denying multiple rape and sexual assault chargesCredit: Andy Kelvin / Kelvinmedia
Mendy’s co-accused Louis Saha Matturie also denies a number of chargesCredit: Andy Kelvin / Kelvinmedia
The witness has accused Matturie of sexually assaulting her at a property in Sheffield in late 2016, the jury at Chester Crown Court heard.
Both Manchester City footballer Mendy and his friend and “fixer” Matturie deny a series of rape and sexual assaults on young women.
The woman told the jury the party took place at an apartment on Chapel Street near Manchester city centre at the end of January last year.
She said the young woman had been in an upstairs room with other people, but she did not know who.
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She told police the woman came out of the room “screaming her head off, shouting, ‘rape, rape'”.
The witness told officers Matturie, who was downstairs at the time then, “grabbed the girl and told her to shut up”.
The court heard the police arrived and were banging on the door as the party was during lockdown.
Officers were asking other party-goers about the girl but she had left the flat before police got in, the witness told the jury.
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Earlier, the witness told the jury she was 18 and living and working in Sheffield when she began to socialise with footballers and was then sexually assaulted by Matturie.
Later she began to socialise in Manchester from 2020 onwards and went to numerous parties, some attended by footballers, the “majority” of which took place during lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic, she said.
The court heard of a different party at the same apartment on Chapel Street in December 2020 attended by Mendy and his then team-mate, Raheem Sterling.
She was sat on a sofa and ex-Liverpool, now Chelsea winger, Sterling was passing by and tripped over her foot.
Lisa Wilding KC, defending Matturie, asked the witness: “He tripped over you and he was aggressive with you?”
The witness agreed and said Sterling called her “fat”.
Ms Wilding continued: “And you were cross about that?
“One of your friends called him a four-foot gnome and properly insulted him and you felt better?”
The witness replied: “Not cross but confused as to why anyone can be aggressive to someone when tripping over a foot. Non-intentional.”
Prosecutors have alleged Mendy is a “predator” who “turned the pursuit of women for sex into a game”, while Matturie, his friend and “fixer”, is alleged to have had the job of finding young women for sex.
Mendy denies seven counts of rape, one count of attempted rape and one count of sexual assault against six young women.
Matturie of Eccles, Salford, denies six counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault relating to seven young women.
Both men say if any sex did take place with women or girls it was consensual.
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None of the women involved, as sexual assault complainants, can be identified.
The trial was adjourned until tomorrow morning. More

MASON Greenwood has been released on bail ahead of his trial for attempted rape and assault.On Monday the Manchester United striker, 21, was told he would spend over a month behind bars after initially being denied bail.
Mason Greenwood has been granted bail ahead of his trial for attempted rape and assaultCredit: AFP
The Manchester United striker was initially denied bailCredit: PA
A black Audi sports car is driven away from HMP Berwyn after Mason Greenwood is granted bailCredit: CHRIS NEILL
But his lawyers overturned the order following a brief private hearing at Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court today.
The footballer, who didn’t attend the hearing, has been released from prison after the decision by judge John Potter.
His bail conditions state that he’s not to contact witnesses and must reside at his home address in Bowden, Greater Manchester.
The footballer will make his next appearance at the same Crown Court on November 21.
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The striker had been held in custody since he was charged on Saturday.
On Monday Greenwood’s alleged victim was seen being supported by a female pal as she sat outside the courtroom.
The alleged offences relate to one woman and are said to have taken place between November 1, 2018, and October 15, 2022.
Greenwood is accused of “repeatedly engaging” in controlling and coercive behaviour for almost four years.
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These include making threats and derogatory comments on social media.
He is also charged with attempting to rape her on October 21, 2021.
Attempted rape carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment if convicted.
The striker also allegedly assaulted her between December 12, 2021, and December 31, 2021.
Police swooped on the footballer’s £15,000-a-month rented home in Trafford on Saturday.
Greenwood was held on suspicion of being in contact with his alleged victim in a breach of his bail conditions.
The Crown Prosecution then authorised Greater Manchester Police to charge the footballer.
The striker has been waiting to discover his fate since he was first held in January this year.
Manchester United released a statement after Greenwood’s charge was announced.
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A spokesperson said: “Manchester United notes that criminal charges have been brought against Mason Greenwood by the Crown Prosecution Service.
“He remains suspended by the club, pending the outcome of the judicial process.”
Greenwood will make his next court appearance on November 21 More

A TEEN texted a group chat about “sexy” Jack Grealish hours after she claimed she was raped by his teammate Benjamin Mendy, a court heard. The woman also messaged the Man City footballer’s co-accused Louis Saha Matturie, 41, asking for Grealish’s phone number.
Mendy’s alleged victim sent a group message about Jack GrealishCredit: Rex
Chester Crown Court heard she then texted a group chat about the England star hours after she claimed Mendy and Matturie raped her.
The message read: “Jack Grealish is so sexy in person, he had been winking at you all night, saying how beautiful you were, but you didn’t sleep with him because you’re not easy but you had been invited out with them all next week.”
The court was told the complainant, named as Woman Ten, claims she was raped twice by Mendy and Matturie on the same occasion.
Woman Ten, who was aged 17 at the time, had attended a party at Mendy’s Cheshire mansion in August last year.
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Ex-Villa star Grealish had attended the same bash and allegedly had consensual sex with another complainant.
The teen told jurors she asked for the footballer’s number so she could contact a woman she saw with him at the party.
But she denied the texts show she she was “happy ” the next morning after having a “great night”.
A friend of Woman Ten received a Snapchat from her saying she was out with Grealish and Mendy, it was said.
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Jurors heard she also recorded “excitable” voicemails, saying: “Honest to God. Peak of my life…The Dom has gone to my head. Don’t you just love champagne when it’s one thousand five hundred quid?”
In a message the following day, the alleged victim sent a message to her friend saying “last night wasn’t all good”.
She continued: “Benjamin Mendy forced himself onto me.”
When asked by the friend if she was OK, Woman Ten replied: “No, police are here, my mum knows.”
She also denied wanting to have sex with Matturie in the cinema room of Mendy’s home during cross examination.
Another alleged victim told the court today how Matturie allegedly raped her in his Mercedes after they left the party to buy vodka from a petrol station.
She told officers: “I felt so disgusting, I felt so dirty, so minging. Disgusting.”
The court was previously told French international Mendy is a “predator” who “turned the pursuit of women for sex into a game”.
Matturie, his friend and “fixer”, allegedly had the job of finding young women for sex.
Mendy denies seven counts of rape, one count of attempted rape and one count of sexual assault against six young women.
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Matturie, of Eccles, Salford, denies six counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault relating to seven young women.
The trial continues.
Mendy denies raping women at his mansionCredit: PA
Co-accused Matturie also denies the chargesCredit: PA More