Benjamin Mendy wins £11m Man City battle over unpaid wages after rape acquittal

Benjamin Mendy has won the majority of his £11million claim against Manchester City for unpaid wages, an employment tribunal judge has ruled. The club stopped paying his £125,000-a-week salary when he was accused of sex offences.

The 30-year-old French defender was suspended by City in August 2021 after being detained over rape allegations. As Mendy's trial unfolded and his imprisonment continued for five months, City stopped paying him his wages until what would have been the end of his contract in June 2023.

In January 2023, Mendy was acquitted of six charges of rape and one sexual assault following a lengthy trial. He was also granted absolution for another count of rape and another of attempted rape during the July 2023 retrial.

Due to financial pressure from legal fees, child support and other expenses, Mendy was forced to sell his lavish Cheshire home, while other footballers including Raheem Sterling, Riyad Mahrez and Bernardo Silva would have intervened to support him financially.

Mendy claimed there were “unauthorized deductions” from his salary and won his battle. Employment judge Joanne Dunlop ruled that Mendy was “entitled to recover some, but not all, of the sums claimed”.

She found that Mendy was “ready and willing” to work and that he was “prevented” from doing so for reasons “unavoidable or unintentional on his part”.

He will now be entitled to receive the majority of his unpaid salary. The exact amount he will receive will have to be calculated by Mendy and City, or determined at a future hearing.

In a statement provided to the industrial tribunal last month, the defender, now at Lorient in France, said: “Several Manchester City first team players, including the club captain, were all present at the parties I attended. I attended and organized.

“We've all drank alcohol. We've all had casual relationships with women. We've all broken Covid-19 restrictions. That doesn't excuse my behavior, but I think it's unfair that Manchester City singled me out as they did.

“The difference between me and the other Manchester City players is that I was the one who was falsely accused of rape and publicly humiliated.”

There is no indication that the behavior of his former teammates was not consensual.

Mendy, whose legal battle was led by Nick De Marco KC, further complained: “I was just as ready, willing and able to carry out my duties as the other Manchester City players Manchester City knew to assist at parties, and on behalf of Manchester City, acted recklessly.

“I am, however, not aware of Manchester City deducting or suspending the wages of any of the other players, even though it was common knowledge that these players had attended the parties.

“So I find it incredibly unfair that Manchester City effectively left me out of the team when I wasn't doing anything different to the rest of the team.”

On a more personal note, Mendy recounted how three of his teammates stepped up to support him financially during this difficult time: “Raheem Sterling, Bernardo Silva and Riyad Mahrez all lent me money to help me try to pay my legal fees and support my family.

Mendy made a £52 million move from Monaco to Man City in 2017 and he won three Premier League titles with the English side, although his time on the pitch was blighted by injuries.

Sean Jones KC, representing the Premier League champions, argued in court that Mendy's failure to pay was solely his fault due to irresponsible conduct.

He said: “The essence of Mr Mendy's claim is that his contract creates moral hazard. He says: 'I can behave as irresponsibly as I want, I can ignore all the rules, both legal, club and common sense to the point where my behavior ends up in prison.

“He's trying to make a virtue out of moral hazard. He's saying, 'This should in no way affect my right to pay. There should be no consequences for my behavior.'”