Louis Saha Matturie cleared of three rapes but faces retrial over Sheffield sex assault allegation

Louis Saha Matturie, of Eccles, Salford, was appearing in the same court case as the Mancester City footballer Benjamin Mendy, with both men cleared of a string of sex offences, but facing retrial over others.

Mendy was cleared at Chester Crown Court of sex attacks on four women but faces a retrial over alleged attacks on two others. He was found not guilty of six counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, relating to four young women or teenagers. Jurors could not reach verdicts on Mendy's alleged attempted rape of a woman, 29, in 2018 and the rape of another woman, 24, in October 2020, but prosecutors immediately said they were seeking a re-trial on the outstanding counts, with the re-trial planned for June

Mr Matturie, aged 41, his co-accused and alleged "fixer", was found not guilty by the jury of three counts of rape relating to two teenagers.

Jurors also failed to reach verdicts on three counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault against him by five other women, one in Sheffield.

The defendants will be tried separately next time, with Matturie's re-trial in September.

Benjamin Mendy

Mendy had denied seven counts of rape, one count of attempted rape and one count of sexual assault against six young women, between October 2018 and August 2021.

Matturie, of Eccles, Salford, denied six counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault relating to seven young women, between July 2012 and August 2021.