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Benjamin Mendy’s cleaner described the Manchester City star’s house at his rape trial yesterday as ‘a catastrophe’ after a party with ‘bottles and food everywhere and a glass-top table broken’.
The jury at Chester Crown Court was told that the £52million footballer is ‘the nicest person you could meet’ in a series of ten supportive statements.
Yvonne Shea, who worked at Mr Mendy’s house for five years along with her 30-year-old daughter, told the court: ‘I am quite shocked to hear all these allegations have been made against him.
‘If I felt he was capable of those kind of actions I would never have allowed my daughter to go there, or be there on her own. He is not that kind of person.’
Mrs Shea described the aftermath of a party held at Mendy’s house in Prestbury, Cheshire, in August last year as ‘a catastrophe’.
She said: ‘Bottles were everywhere, food was everywhere and the glass top table was broken.’
Benjamin Mendy, 28, denies seven counts of rape, one attempted rape and one sexual assault
Nightclub worker Claudia Noble told the court that she had had a ‘casual’ sexual relationship with the left-back and had never felt ‘uncomfortable’ with him.
She said: ‘Ben’s always been really kind to me. He has a really good sense of humour. He is just a really fun person to be around. I have never felt concerned or unsafe.’
Former lover Annabelle Rochard said she never felt uncomfortable with his behaviour.
She added: ‘He is a really lovely caring person. I have never seen him angry toward a girl at all.’
Marc Boixasa, a football scout who worked at Manchester City from 2012 to last year as head of first team operations, told the jury: ‘He was really likeable and approachable since the beginning. He was someone that everyone liked since day one.’
Mr Boixasa said he noticed that Mr Mendy became ‘really down’ after suffering a serious knee injury.
He said: ‘The attitude was always the same in the sense that he was not the perfect professional, in the sense he was arriving late many times in the morning because he overslept. That was a constant thing.’
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Mr Boixasa said: ‘He is a big character. He is one of the nicest men I have ever met in football.’
His co-accused and alleged fixer Louis Saha Matturie, 41, from Eccles, Manchester, denies six rapes and three sexual assaults
The Frenchman’s agent, Meissa N’Diaye, told the court that Mendy was going on nights out after suffering his knee injury.
He said: ‘Obviously regarding his lifestyle, we had numerous chats. I have always told him at some point he would have to make a choice, as the discipline at the top level is something to be seriously considered.
‘It was really up to him to take that decision. I was aware he was having sex with girls due to his young age, and his will not to get involved in a long-term relationship.
‘I am appalled by what Benjamin is accused of. This is simply not the person I knew since he was 18-years-old. He is the most generous person I know.’
Foster carer Davia Howarth said she had a sexual relationship with Mendy for two or three months before it ‘fizzled out’.
She said: ‘He never forced me into doing anything I did not want to do.’
Neighbour Jesse Coulson said Mendy was ‘a very polite and kind young man’.
He added: ‘I found his approach to life very refreshing. He went out of his way to make time for you and not many professional athletes would do that.’
The court was also read statements from Mendy’s brother David and sisters Marie and Domeo describing how he sent money to help the family’s finances.
Mendy, 28, denies seven counts of rape, one attempted rape and one sexual assault.
His co-accused and alleged fixer Louis Saha Matturie, 41, from Eccles, Manchester, denies six rapes and three sexual assaults.
The trial continues.
