Benjamin Mendy found not guilty of one count of rape

Mendy remains on trial on for multiple alleged sexual offences

Benjamin Mendy has been found not guilty of one count of rape on the direction of the judge. The 28-year-old was cleared at Chester Crown Court of raping a 19-year-old, which was alleged to have happened on July 24 last year. Louis Saha Matturie, 41, was found not guilty of two counts of rape against the same woman. Both remain on trial for alleged sexual offences which Mendy and Matturie both deny. On Tuesday Judge Stephen Everett ordered the jury to clear the two defendants of those counts after the prosecution were unable to offer any further evidence. Prosecutors alleged that Mendy was a "predator" who "turned the pursuit of women for sex into a game". The Manchester City full-back - who is currently suspended by the club - still faces seven counts of rape, one count of attempted rape and one count of sexual assault against six young women. Matturie of Eccles, Salford meanwhile is alleged to have had the job of finding younger women for sex. He denies six counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault relating to seven young women. Both men have also said that if any sex did take place with women or girls, they had been given consent. Related links:

• Benjamin Mendy was a ‘predator’ who ‘engineered situations’ to rape women, court told
• Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy denies further rape charge
• Benjamin Mendy pleads not guilty to nine charges of sexual offences