Mendy rape trial temporarily adjourned due to technical difficulties

The rape trial of Benjamin Mendy has been temporarily adjourned at Chester Crown Court due to technical difficulties playing a video.

The jury of eight men and four women were sent out of court because the police video interview of Mr Mendy's first alleged victim would not play.

Mr Mendy, 28, is accused of the attempted rape of the woman, then aged 29, at his home in October 2018.

The Man City and France international footballer also denies eight counts of rape and one count of sexual assault.

His co-accused, Louis Saha Matturie, 41, denies eight counts of rape and four counts of sexual assault.

Both men deny all charges.

Earlier, as the third day of the trial against Mr Mendy began, Timothy Cray QC, prosecuting, read some agreed facts, not in contention between defence and prosecution, based on notes made by the GP of the 29-year-old complainant.

He said she had a telephone consultation with her GP in August 2021 and said she was feeling "low and anxious" because something had been made public which she was finding difficult, but did not want to discuss the matter further.

The next day she had a face-to-face appointment with her doctor saying she had not had sexual intercourse since 2018 when she was sexually assaulted and that this was related to the current news story involving Mr Mendy.

She requested a doctor's note for time off work and was worried the matter would be discussed in her place of work.

Her GP suggested she speak to police but the woman said she did not want to at that time.

Chester Crown Court heard that on 13 January 2022, the 29-year-old attended the front desk at Walworth Police Station in London to report a sexual assault.

She was wearing a face mask and had her hood up and was reluctant to give any personal