Ex-Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy has been found not guilty of rape and attempted rape by a jury at Chester Crown court.

The French defender was accused of raping a 24-year-old woman at his home in Cheshire in October 2022.

Similarly, he was charged with the attempted rape of a 29-year-old woman, who alleged that he had molested her at his home two years earlier.

Mendy denied both charges and was found not guilty by the jury of six men and six women.

The court then ruled that both encounters had been consensual.

Mendy broke down in tears as the verdicts which declared his innocence, were read out by the jury foreman following a three-week trial and Chester Crown Court.

Judge Steven Everett said: Mr Mendy can be discharged from the dock.

The footballer, whose contract with Manchester City expired this month, was cleared at the earlier trial of six counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, relating to four young women or teenagers.

But jurors failed to reach verdicts on two counts of rape and attempted rape, prompting a re-trial.

Mendy was under contract to Manchester City until 1 July. (Vanguard)