MANCHESTER City star Benjamin Mendy was seen arriving home last night after being released on bail ahead of his rape trial.
The left-back, 27, has been remanded in custody since his first court appearance in August.
He had spent Christmas at top-security prison Strangeways after being moved from Category B jail HMP Altcourse.
But Mendy, who is is accused of seven counts of rape and one of sexual assault against five women aged over 16, has now been freed on bail.
The ace was pictured leaving Chester Crown Court in a yellow and green prison jumpsuit yesterday afternoon.
Wearing handcuffs, guards ushered him into a prison van where he was briefly taken back to Strangeways.
He was later seen arriving home in a black Mercedes.
Judge Patrick Thompson released him during a private hearing yesterday but imposed a list of “stringent” conditions.
He must surrender his passport and make no contact with complainants.
Mendy must also stay at his £4.8million mansion.
He has been ordered to live at his six-bedroom home in Prestbury, Cheshire.
He bought the property from cricketer Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff in 2018. It boasts a gym, two swimming pools and its own indoor football pitch, where he has previously enjoyed kickabouts with his City colleagues Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez.
In October, Mendy was denied bail by a judge at a 50-minute hearing. It was the third bail application Mendy had made.
Mendy has spent 134 days in prison after breaching bail conditions following his arrest on suspicion of several sex offences.
He will next appear at Chester Crown Court on January 24 ahead of a provisional trial date on June 27.
Co-defendant Louis Saha Matturie, 40 is accused of six counts of rape and one sexual assault.
It comes after Mendy was last month charged with a seventh rape count.
The fresh offence relates to a new complainant and is alleged to have taken place in July this year.
Mendy was already facing six rape counts against four women when the new charge was added.
One of these was carried out on August 23 – just three days before he was charged, it is said.
It is the second rape Mendy allegedly committed while on police bail after his arrest in November.
RAPE CHARGES
Mendy is also accused of raping a woman three times at Cheshire mansion in October 2020.
The footballer allegedly sexually assaulted a woman in early January 2021.
Premier League champions Man City spent a reported £49.2million signing Mendy from French side Monaco in 2017.
He last played for the club on August 15 during their 1-0 defeat to Tottenham at the start of the season.
In September 2020, City boss Pep Guardiola revealed Mendy would be out of the game for at least a month due to an injury.
In a statement, the club 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.”
