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      in Soccer

      Man City’s Benjamin Mendy ‘looks forward to clearing his name’ as he faces retrial in months over rape charge

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      MANCHESTER City’s Benjamin Mendy “looks forward” to clearing his name as he faces a retrial this summer.In a statement through his lawyer, the footballer, 28, today said he is “delighted” to have been cleared of sex attacks on four women.
      Benjamin Mendy ‘looks forward’ to clearing his nameCredit: Andy Kelvin / Kelvinmedia
      Mendy’s lawyer Jenny Wiltshire said he is now looking to “rebuild his life”.
      She said: “My client Benjamin Mendy would like to thank the members of the jury for their dedication and commitment.
      “He also thanks everyone who supported him, and particularly the witnesses who gave evidence on his behalf in the glare of such intense publicity.
      “He looks forward to clearing his name in relation to the other two charges so he can start rebuilding his life.
      READ MORE ON MENDY
      “Until these proceedings have concluded neither I, nor my client, are able to comment further.”
      It comes after the French international was today found not guilty of six rapes and one sexual assault against four women.
      Jurors could not reach verdicts on one count of rape and one of attempted rape against another alleged victims.
      Judge Everett brought jurors back into court and asked if they would reach further verdicts if given more time.
      Most read in Football
      The foreman of the jury replied: “No. We are at a point now where we can’t agree.”
      Judge Everett told them: “It is not unusual that jurors don’t reach verdicts on some counts. You have to be true to your duty.”
      Mendy, who remains in custody, will now face a pre-trial on January 27 before a three-week trial starts on June 26.
      Man City has since released a statement.
      The club said: “Manchester City FC notes the verdict from Chester Crown Court today, where a jury has found Benjamin Mendy not guilty of seven charges.
      “The jury is hung on two charges and the trial is now over.
      “Given there are open matters related to this case, the club is not in a position to comment further at this time.” More

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      in Soccer

      Man City star Benjamin Mendy’s ‘fixer’ Louis Saha Matturie, 41, found NOT guilty of raping teens as ace is also cleared

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      BENJAMIN Mendy’s “fixer” Louis Saha Matturie has also been found not guilty of rape after the Man City ace was cleared.Mendy was today cleared by a jury of raping women at his isolated mansion during lockdown-busting parties.
      Louis Saha Matturie was also found not guilty of rapeCredit: Andy Kelvin / Kelvinmedia
      Benjamin Mendy has been cleared of six rapes and one sexual assaultCredit: getty
      The Man City star was accused by prosecutors of being a “predator” who “turned the pursuit of women for sex into a game”.
      But the French international was today found not guilty of six rapes and one sexual assault against four women.
      And Saha Matturie, 41, was also found not guilty of three counts of rape relating to two teenagers. 
      It was heard the co-defendant acted as Mendy’s “fixer” by getting girls as young as 17 to attend the lockdown-busting parties.
      Read More in Football
      They were invited there after nights spent in the VIP sections of clubs drinking £1,500 bottles of Champagne, it was alleged.
      Jurors failed to reach verdicts on three counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault against Saha by five other women.
      Some of the alleged victims claimed their phones were taken away from them on arrival leaving them unable to call for help.
      Mendy covered his face with both hands as the jury foreman repeated “not guilty” to the six counts, which related to four young women or teenagers.
      Most read in Football
      Mendy, 28, also allegedly locked his victims in a “panic room” and hid their phones so they could not escape.
      Jurors could not reach verdicts on one count of rape and one of attempted rape against another alleged victim.
      Mendy will now face a retrial for rape as he’s hauled back to court.
      The Manchester City star will face a three-week trial starting June 26.
      But his lawyer Eleanor Laws KC told jurors to end Mendy’s “absolute hell” and acquit him.
      Mendy, who missed the World Cup, was bailed in January last year after spending 134 days in custody following his arrest in August 2021.
      He continued to be selected by City for 10 months after his first arrest for rape, playing or being part of nearly 50 match squads. More

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      in Soccer

      Man City release statement on Benjamin Mendy as star is CLEARED of raping women at mansion

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      MANCHESTER City have released a statement today on Benjamin Mendy after the star was cleared of raping women at his mansion. Mendy was found not guilty of raping the women during lockdown-busting parties.
      Man City has now released a statement following today’s court findings
      The Man City star was accused of being a “predator” who “turned the pursuit of women for sex into a game”.
      Mendy, 28, also allegedly locked his victims in a “panic room” and hid their phones so they could not escape.
      But the French international was today found not guilty of six rapes and one sexual assault against four women.
      Jurors could not reach verdicts on one count of rape and one of attempted rape against two other alleged victims.
      Read more on UK News
      The football club released a statement after the verdict – but before the announcement that he would face a retrial.
      It read: “Manchester City FC notes the verdict from Chester Crown Court today, where a jury has found Benjamin Mendy not guilty of seven charges.
      “The jury is hung on two charges and the trial is now over.
      “Given there are open matters related to this case, the club is not in a position to comment further at this time.”
      Most read in Football
      A retrial for Mendy, who remains in custody, has now been set for June 26, with a pre-trial hearing set to be held on January 27.
      The re-trial is expected to last two or three weeks.
      Earlier, Judge Everett brought jurors back into court and asked if they would reach further verdicts if given more time.
      The foreman of the jury replied: “No. We are at a point now where we can’t agree.”
      Judge Everett told them: “It is not unusual that jurors don’t reach verdicts on some counts. You have to be true to your duty.”
      During a six-month trial, jurors were told the left-back lured young women into “toxic and dangerous” situations at his six-bedroom Cheshire home.
      Co-defendant Louis Saha Matturie acted as Mendy’s “fixer” by getting girls as young as 17 to attend the lockdown-busting parties after nights spent in the VIP sections of clubs drinking £1,500 bottles of Champagne, it was said.
      Some of his victims claimed their phones were taken away from them on arrival leaving them unable to call for help.
      Once inside, the women were allegedly treated as “disposable…used for sex then thrown to one side”.

      But his lawyer Eleanor Laws KC told jurors to end Mendy’s “absolute hell” and acquit him.
      She said claims he used his fame to attack women – with the prosecution comparing him to Jimmy Savile – were “utterly ridiculous”. More

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      in Soccer

      Benjamin Mendy CLEARED of raping women at mansion after Man City star accused of ‘locking victims in panic rooms’

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      BENJAMIN Mendy was today cleared by a jury of raping women at his isolated mansion during lockdown-busting parties.The Man City star was accused by prosecutors of being a “predator” who “turned the pursuit of women for sex into a game”.
      Benjamin Mendy has been cleared of six rapes and one sexual assaultCredit: Getty
      Mendy, 28, also allegedly locked his victims in a “panic room” and hid their phones so they could not escape.
      But the French international, who covered his face with his hands in the dock, was today found not guilty of six rapes and one sexual assault against four women.
      Jurors could not reach verdicts on one count of rape and one of attempted rape against two other alleged victims after 67 hours and 17 minutes of deliberations.
      A re-trial, expected to last two to three weeks, has now been set for June 26, with a pre-trial hearing set to be held on January 27.
      READ MORE UK NEWS
      Earlier, Judge Everett brought jurors back into court and asked if they would reach further verdicts if given more time.
      The foreman of the jury replied: “No. We are at a point now where we can’t agree.”
      Judge Everett told them: “It is not unusual that jurors don’t reach verdicts on some counts. You have to be true to your duty.”
      Mendy, who remains in custody, is “delighted” to have been cleared of sex attacks on four women and “looks forward” to clearing his name at a re-trial, his lawyer Jenny Wiltshire said.
      Most read in Football
      Man City also released a statement today following the verdicts.
      During a six-month trial, jurors were told by prosecutors that the left-back lured young women into “toxic and dangerous” situations at his six-bedroom Cheshire home.
      Co-defendant Louis Saha Matturie acted as Mendy’s “fixer” by getting girls as young as 17 to attend the lockdown-busting parties after nights spent in the VIP sections of clubs drinking £1,500 bottles of champagne, it was alleged.
      Saha, 41, was found not guilty of three counts of rape relating to two teenagers. 
      Jurors failed to reach verdicts on three counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault against him by five other women.
      Some of the alleged victims claimed their phones were taken away from them on arrival leaving them unable to call for help.
      Once inside, the women were allegedly treated as “disposable… used for sex then thrown to one side”.
      But his lawyer Eleanor Laws KC told jurors to end Mendy’s “absolute hell” and acquit him.
      She said claims he used his fame to attack women – with the prosecution comparing him to Jimmy Savile – were “utterly ridiculous”.
      Ms Laws told the court: “He’s not the kind of character to deliberately harm anyone under any circumstances.
      “If you are not sure he’s a predatory monster, he’s entitled to acquittal.
      “It is one word against another.
      “His life as he knew it is over, in football, in the UK – these accusations, he will never escape.”
      A number of famous faces were dragged into the trial – including Mendy’s Man City teammates.
      One of the women claimed she had sex with England hero Jack Grealish at an “after party”.
      She later texted her pal: “Ha ha ha I have slept with Jack Grealish.”
      Kyle Walker was also at one of the parties at Mendy’s mansion in July 2021.
      MANSION PARTIES
      City manager Pep Guardiola was sensationally called to give evidence – and described Mendy as a “really good boy”.
      The gaffer also told jurors he was “not happy” about the player’s parties.
      But he added: “I control my players when we are together in training sessions. In their private life, I don’t know what they do.
      “I don’t follow the players on social media so I don’t know what they are doing outside my control in training sessions and in games.”
      He continued: “I’m not his father.”
      During Mendy’s own sensational evidence, he said it was “honestly, so easy” for him to meet up with women and have sex “because of the status”.
      The French international claimed the attention became “10 times more” when he began playing for Man City and admitted he is “no Brad Pitt”.
      He also told jurors he would often sleep with different women on the same night, admitting: “For me it was normal, I realised just now it sounds bad.”
      The jury heard the player boasted to one alleged victim that he had slept with “10,000” women and told her it was a “privilege” to be one of them.  
      Mendy, who missed the World Cup, was bailed in January last year after spending 134 days in custody following his arrest in August 2021.
      He continued to be selected by City for 10 months after his first arrest for rape, playing or being part of nearly 50 match squads.
      But after he was charged, City stopped paying his wages a month later, forcing him to sell his Lamborghini Aventador to pay for his legal fees. 
      Premier League champions City spent a reported £49.2million signing Mendy from French side Monaco in 2017.
      He last played for the club on August 15, 2021, during their 1-0 defeat to Tottenham at the start of last season.
      In September 2020, City boss Guardiola revealed Mendy would be out of the game for at least a month due to an injury.
      In a statement, the club later said: “Manchester City can confirm that following his being charged by police today, Benjamin Mendy has been suspended pending an investigation.
      “The matter is subject to a legal process and the club is therefore unable to make further comment until that process is complete.”
      A spokesperson added after today’s verdicts: “Manchester City FC notes the verdict from Chester Crown Court today, where a jury has found Benjamin Mendy not guilty of seven charges.
      “The jury is hung on two charges and the trial is now over.

      “Given there are open matters related to this case, the club is not in a position to comment further at this time.”
      The Crown Prosecution Service has seven days to consider a retrial.
      Mendy was suspended by Man City in the wake of the allegationsCredit: PA
      The footballer missed the World Cup for FranceCredit: Instagram
      Louis Saha Matturie was accused of acting as Mendy’s ‘fixer’Credit: Getty More

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      in Soccer

      Inside luxury life of Richard Rufus who bought £3M mansion and luxury cars before being jailed over £8million scam

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      FOOTBALL star Richard Rufus lived a life of luxury by scamming families and friends out of millions. The former Charlton Athletic centre-back, 49, used their money to buy a flash Bentley, Rolex and mansion.
      Richard Rufus scammed friends and family out of millionsCredit: Getty
      The ex centre back tricked them into investing in a dodgy pyramid schemeCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      Rufus bought luxury items including a Bentley. Stock picture.Credit: Getty
      His former five-bedroom property in leafy Purley, South London, which sits on more than 3,200 sq ft, is now worth a staggering £3million.
      And it sits on an exclusive road with the average house price over the last year at just over £2million.
      It was last sold in 2017 for a huge £1.8million.
      Pictures show the property with an elegant wooden floor, huge garden and a large marble-floored conservatory.

      It also came with a double garage, games room and outhouse.
      Rufus was today jailed for seven-and-a-half years for tricking his friends and family into investing in a dodgy pyramid scheme.
      Posing as a foreign exchange trader, he lied that football friends, including Rio Ferdinand, had invested with him. 
      As a result of his property, he spent nearly £700,000 over five years on mortgages and loans.
      Most read in Football
      The ex-footballer also splurged £200,000 on motoring costs – including £70,000 to Mercedes Benz Finance, a further £45,000 to the car company and over £46,000 to Land Rover.
      He also spent thousands on shopping and in restaurants.
      He transferred £222,468.11 to his wife, Simone Rufus and £158,513.86 to a joint account he held with her.
      The only legitimate income Rufus received was £850-a-month rent he earned on a property in Surrey.
      Lucy Organ, prosecuting, said: “He scammed friends, family and associates out of millions of pounds by pretending he was able to offer a low-risk investment in the foreign exchange market.
      “He claimed he had significant success with his strategy in the past.
      “Mr Rufus took over £15million in total. He traded some of it, as I have said, losing vast amounts, but that wasn’t the end of the fraud.
      “Of that money, about £2million he never even transferred to foreign exchange trading accounts. He used this money partly to prop up the losses that his scams were making.
      “Making payments back to other investors to continue the pretence that they were making a good investment, a so-called ‘pyramid scheme’ and partly simply for his own benefit, treating the money he received from investors as his own.”
      Rufus duped investors by claiming he could return their original capital within 14 days of them asking.
      One victim paid between £8,500 and £12,500 and was told he could make potential profits of £425 a month.
      He only realised his money had been lost when Rufus’ home was re-possessed while he was fitting a new carpet there.
      Even when his accounts were frozen by the the Financial Services Agency in 2011, Rufus continued the alleged scam by taking more money from investors.
      He used the cash he received for his own gain and to pay fake profits to his investors.
      Rufus earned six England Under-21 caps during his career.
      The centre-back played solely for Charlton and made 288 appearances after his debut in 1994 aged 19.
      His first-ever senior goal came in the Addicks’ historic win over Sunderland in 1998 in the play-off final at Wembley.
      Read More on The Sun
      Rufus’ banger forced the game into extra time – with Charlton’s win on penalties securing them promotion to the Premier League.
      He retired through injury in 2004 and was later inducted into the club hall of fame at The Valley.
      Rufus was jailed for seven and a half yearsCredit: PA
      He spent £70,000 on Mercedes Benz Finance. Stock picture.Credit: Getty
      He also gave £46,000 to Land Rover. Stock picture.Credit: Getty More

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      in Boxing

      Gervonta Davis is turning into a mini-monster hell-bent on taking Mike Tyson’s tag as boxing’s Baddest Man on the Planet

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      GERVONTA DAVIS is a tiny tearaway who is big trouble inside and outside the ring.He is rapidly turning into a mini-monster who seems hell-bent on taking over Mike Tyson’s role as boxing’s “Baddest Man on the Planet.”
      Gervonta Davis battered Hector Garcia earlier this monthCredit: AP
      Davis was arrested in Florida last month and charged with domestic violenceCredit: AP
      Though 2023 is not yet two weeks old Davis, who is just 5ft 5in tall, is already staking a claim to be a candidate to be named Fighter of the Year – that’s if he isn’t serving a long jail sentence.
      Eleven days before he defended his WBA regular world lightweight title last Saturday, Davis was arrested in Florida and, not for the first time, charged with domestic violence spending the night in a prison cell. 
      A distraught woman, said to be the mother of his daughter, had called police begging for help and screaming: “He’s going to kill me.”
      Davis, released on a bail bond and completely unfazed by the experience and the serious disruption to his preparation, battered Hector Garcia so severely he retired on his stool at the end of the eighth round in front of a 19,000 sell-out crowd at Washington DC’s Capital One Arena.
      READ MORE IN BOXING
      Floyd Mayweather Jr’s protege’s remarkable unbeaten record is now 28-0 with 26 KO’s.
      Davis is a ferocious punching pocket-battleship who fires explosive missiles with both hands.
      It was obvious he was an exceptional talent to those fortunate to see him destroy Liam Walsh in less than three rounds when he defended his world super-featherweight crown at East London’s Copper Box, six years ago.
      Since then, Davis has been arrested on numerous occasions for several offences including aggravated assault. 
      Most read in Boxing
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      He is due to appear at Baltimore Circuit Court, on February 16, where he will face 14 counts relating to a hit-and-run offence.
      It is alleged he smashed his Lamborghini SUV into another car putting the four occupants in hospital.
      If he should be found guilty on all 14 charges he could be sent to prison for seven years.
      Not that Davis believes he will be convicted – he has already agreed to meet the equally brilliant unbeaten Ray Garcia this spring – it is said to be in Las Vegas on April 15.
      Davis, 28, started boxing as a five-year-old and is a product of Baltimore’s most crime-ridden ghetto.
      He appears to be trying to emulate his mentor Mayweather – who has also had problems with law and order – with an ostentatious lifestyle.
      Davis with one of his fleet of luxury vehiclesCredit: Instagram / @gervontaa
      Davis car collection is part of his ostentatious lifestyleCredit: Instagram / @gervontaa
      Among Gervonta’s fleet of luxury vehicles – besides the Lamborghini – is a £280,000 Rolls Royce, a Ferrari, a Corvette Stingray, a USSV Rhino GX with inbuilt TV and a Range Rover.
      He is tattooed all over his body from the neck down – and he’s most proud of the gorilla face on his chest.
      And he never goes out without being adorned with millions of dollars-worth of diamond-encrusted necklaces, rings and designer watches. 
      Heavyweights Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk, Anthony Joshua, Deontay Wilder, Joe Joyce and Daniel Dubois, will once again be the dominate force in the next 12 months.
      But for purist fans the lightweight division will grab their attention – it’s loaded with outstanding exciting unbeaten talent.
      Davis is a ferocious punching pocket-battleship who fires explosive missiles with both hands
      Apart from Davis and Ray Garcia, the undisputed champion is Devin Haney, 29-0, 15 KO’s, and the superb southpaw craftsman Shakur Stevenson, 19-0, 9 KO’s.
      Read More on The Sun
      If only they can be persuaded to fight each other they would rival the four Kings, Leonard, Hagler, Hearns and Duran who had nine fights between them and captivated millions in the 1980s.
      Fury and the rest of the large lumps will get most of the publicity but as a wise man said: “Small men can cut very large shadows.”
      Davis is heavily tattooed from the neck downCredit: Getty Images – Getty More

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      in Soccer

      Ex-Premier League player Richard Rufus jailed for scamming family and friends out of £15m to maintain lavish lifestyle

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      A FORMER Premier League footballer has been jailed for scamming friends and family out of £15million to maintain his lavish lifestyle.Richard Rufus pretended to be a successful foreign exchange trader to convince his trusting victims to invest.
      Richard Rufus has been convicted of fraudCredit: Central News
      But the ex-Charlton star, 47, lost the cash “hand over fist”.
      He used £7million of the total £15million to pay back investors in a pyramid scheme, while around £2million was used for his own purposes.
      This meant Rufus was able to “maintain a lifestyle of a footballer” long after he was forced to retire in 2004.
      The centre-back enjoyed the “trappings of wealth” and drove a flash Bentley and wore a Rolex.
      Read more on the case
      Rufus has now been jailed for seven-and-a-half years after being convicted of three counts of fraud and two counts of money laundering related offences.
      He will have to serve half of his sentence before being released on licence.
      Sentencing today, Judge Dafna Spiro told him: “The victims of this fraud are haunted by your actions.
      “The people who invested did so in good faith, they believed your spiel because they thought you were the real deal.
      Most read in Football
      “You were robbing Peter to pay Paul.
      “You were living a lie at the expense of others.”
      Southwark Crown Court heard how Rufus lived in a five-bedroom home on a private estate in leafy Purley, South London.
      As a result, he spent nearly £700,000 over five years on mortgages and loans.
      The ex-footballer also splurged £200,000 on motoring costs – including £70,000 to Mercedes Benz Finance, a further £45,000 to the car company and over £46,000 to Land Rover,
      He transferred £222,468.11 to his wife, Simone Rufus and £158,513.86 to a joint account he held with her.
      The only legitimate income Rufus received was £850-a-month rent he earned on a property in Surrey.
      Lucy Organ, prosecuting, said: “He scammed friends, family and associates out of millions of pounds by pretending he was able to offer a low-risk investment in the foreign exchange market.
      “He claimed he had significant success with his strategy in the past.
      “Mr Rufus took over £15million in total. He traded some of it, as I have said, losing vast amounts, but that wasn’t the end of the fraud.
      “Of that money, about £2million he never even transferred to foreign exchange trading accounts. He used this money partly to prop up the losses that his scams were making.
      “Making payments back to other investors to continue the pretence that they were making a good investment, a so-called ‘pyramid scheme’ and partly simply for his own benefit, treating the money he received from investors as his own.”
      Rufus duped investors by claiming he could return their original capital within 14 days of them asking.
      One victim paid between £8,500 and £12,500 and was told he could make potential profits of £425 a month.
      He only realised his money had been lost when Rufus’ home was re-possessed while he was fitting a new carpet there.
      The victim said: “I got very numb. I was still hoping, more than believing, that there was a slim chance what he was telling me was true.
      “I was always in limbo as to what was happening next. He always insisted the money would be available but I never received any money.”
      Even when his accounts were frozen by the the Financial Services Agency in 2011, Rufus continued the alleged scam by taking more money from investors.
      He used the cash he received for his own gain and to pay fake profits to his investors.
      Rufus earned six England Under-21 caps during his career.
      The centre-back played solely for Charlton and made 288 appearances after his debut in 1994 aged 19.
      His first-ever senior goal came in the Addicks’ historic win over Sunderland in 1998 in the play-off final at Wembley.
      Rufus’ goal forced the game into extra time – with Charlton’s win on penalties securing them promotion to the Premier League.
      He retired through injury in 2004 and was later inducted into the club hall of fame at The Valley.
      Roger Makanjuola of the CPS said: “Rufus acted in a selfish manner without any concern for his victims.
      “He took advantage of his status as a professional athlete, a respected church member and he used the goodwill of his family and friends to scam them and associates out of millions of pounds by falsely claiming he was able to offer a low-risk investment in the Foreign Exchange Market.
      “He claimed that he had been successful with his investment strategies previously, but the investments were fraught with risk and he lost his victims’ much needed money to the amount of £15million.
      Read More on The Sun
      “While making these huge losses he put approximately £2million into his personal accounts, allegedly for the purposes of investment but this was never transferred over to his trading account.
      “We now commence confiscation proceedings to seek to recover his ill-gotten gains”
      Rufus played for Charlton Athletic More

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      in Soccer

      Brothers of Marcus Rashford & Trent Alexander-Arnold battered with baseball bat by three men in terrifying raid

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      MARCUS Rashford and Trent Alexander-Arnold’s brothers were hit with a bat and had a gun pointed at them in a “terrifying” robbery.Tariq Dervan, Romario Harmer and Talleko Lemonious attacked Dane Rashford and Tyler Alexander-Arnold at a Manchester café.
      Rashford’s brother Dane had a gun pointed at him in a terrifying raidCredit: instagram/Marcus Rashford
      Tyler Alexander-Arnold – brother of star Trent – was also attacked
      The pair had just sat down to eat breakfast with three pals when they were ambushed by the masked robbers.
      Tyler – brother of Liverpool star Trent – was smacked in the head with a baseball bat so hard the handle broke off.
      While Man Utd ace Marcus’ brother Dane “feared for his life” after a shotgun was pointed at his face.
      The masked raiders then made off with a £70,000 Range Rover and jewellery including a £20,000 Rolex.
      Read more news
      Dervan, 22, Harmer, 21, and 28-year-old Lemonious have now been found guilty over the robbery.
      The trio have also been convicted of possessing a double barrelled shotgun, as well as having a machete and a baseball bat.
      All three were warned they face “lengthy” jail sentences when they return for sentencing on March 20.
      Minshull Street Crown Court were told Dane and Tyler had met with pals on January 12, 2019 for breakfast at the Little Rock cafe.
      Most read in Football
      The group of five had been planning to drive to Brighton to watch Liverpool play when the horror unfolded.
      Dervan, Harmer, and Lemonious burst into the restaurant armed with the baseball bat and sawn-off shotgun.
      They also threatened Dane and Tyler with a machete and demanded they hand over their watches.
      Tyler, who was not wearing a watch, handed over his wallet instead and the keys to his £70,000 Range Rover.
      The thugs then made Dane take off his £20,000 Rolex and a £4,000 watch belonging to one of his pals.
      Recalling the horror, Dane said he could not see what was happening but felt a “prick” on his back before he saw the gun being “pointed towards my face”.
      Tyler meanwhile said he heard a shout of “get your watch off” before the baseball bat connected with the side of his head.
      The violent robbery lasted just a few minutes, with the trio fleeing the cafe in the stolen Range Rover and a BMW.
      Police later managed to track the stolen 4X4 to a property where six men – including the defendants – were inside.
      Dervan, Harmer and Lemonious surrendered but no further action was taken against the other three men.
      During a search of the home, officers discovered the ski masks used in the attack, a machete and the shotgun in a bag in some bushes.
      Carl Miles, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West, said following the trial: “Talleko Lemonious, Tariq Dervan and Romario Harmer carried out a terrifying armed robbery at a café in broad day light.
      “In their greed, they showed utter disregard for the impact on their targeted victims and other customers and staff in the cafe, who genuinely feared for their lives, and were not afraid to use violence to get what they wanted.
      “We worked closely with the police to build a strong case against them, including DNA and CCTV evidence, which we presented to the jury. After careful consideration of this evidence the jury found all three men guilty of all the offences they faced.
      Read More on The Sun
      “I would like to thank the victims for their help in bringing these violent men to justice in order to protect the public from further harm at his hands.
      “I hope that the conclusion of the trial helps them move forward with their lives.”
      Tyler was hit with a baseball bat in the raidCredit: Tyler Alexander-Arnold /Twitter More