Ex-Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy wept in the dock after he was cleared of rape and attempted rape at Chester Crown Court.

The Frenchman was found not guilty of attempting to rape a woman in October 2018 and raping a second woman in October 2020.

The 28-year-old broke down in tears as the not guilty verdicts were given by the jury foreman following a three-week trial at Chester Crown Court.

He had stood for the verdicts but sank to his seat, his head on his knees, wiping away tears with a white tissue.

Mendy, whose contract with the Premier League champions ended on July 1, was cleared of attempting to rape a woman, aged 29 at the time, at his £4 million mansion in Mottram St Andrew, Cheshire in October 2018.

He was also found not guilty of the rape of a second woman, aged 24, two years later also at his home address.

The footballer is alleged to have later told her “it’s fine, I’ve had sex with 10,000 women”, the court heard.

The jury of six men and six women were out for around three hours and 15 minutes before returning their verdicts.

Judge Steven Everett responded: “Mr Mendy can be discharged from the dock.”

His trial was a re-trial, having been cleared by a jury earlier this year of six counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, relating to four young women or teenagers, following a six-month trial.

Jurors failed to reach verdicts on the two counts of rape and attempted rape he was re-tried with.

In a statement released by his legal team following his acquittal, Mr Mendy said the near three-year investigation has had a “serious impact” on him.

The statement read: “Benjamin Mendy would like to thank the members of the jury for focussing on the evidence in this trial, rather than on the rumour and innuendo that have followed this case from the outset.

“This is the second time that Mr Mendy has been tried and found not guilty by a jury. He is delighted that both juries reached the correct verdicts.

“It has been almost three years since the police started investigating this matter. Mr Mendy has tried to remain strong but the process has, inevitably had a serious impact on him.

“He thanks everyone who has supported him throughout this ordeal and now asks for privacy so he can begin rebuilding his life.”