Benjamin Mendy has been denied bail, will remain in prison until trial

Mendy's trial is set to take place early next year

Premier League footballer Benjamin Mendy has been refused bail and will remain in prison until his trial for sexual assault and rape, which is set to take place early next year. Mendy, who is currently held on remand at HMP Altcourse in Liverpool, was denied bail on Monday 11 October. The 27-year-old has been held in custody for almost seven weeks after first being charged back in August of this year, with the latest bail application the third time the Frenchman has applied. He is yet to enter a plea for the four counts of rape and sexual assault. Mendy was not present at Chester Crown Court, with the press also excluded from the hearing which lasted 50 minutes, however the result of the application was passed on after the hearing had concluded by a court official. At the time he was charged, a statement by the Cheshire Police said: "The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has authorised Cheshire Constabulary to charge a man in connection with allegations of sexual assault. "Benjamin Mendy, aged 27, has been charged with four counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. "The charges relate to three complainants over the age of 16 and are alleged to have taken place between October 2020 and August 2021. Since being charged Mendy has been suspended by his club, Manchester City, who he joined from Monaco in 2017. His suspension will last until the conclusion of legal proceedings.