The Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy has been charged with a further count of rape.
The latest allegation, relating to a new complainant, means the 27-year-old stands accused of eight counts of rape, one count of sexual assault and one count of attempted rape, relating to seven young women.
The France international pleaded not guilty last month to all but the latest charge, which has not yet been put to him and to which he is yet to enter a plea.
The media had been banned from publishing the latest charge until the order was lifted by Judge Steven Everett, recorder of Chester, during a hearing at Chester crown court on Wednesday.
All the offences are alleged to have taken place at Mendy’s home address in Prestbury, Cheshire, and span between October 2018 and August last year.
He will go on trial before a jury on 25 July along with his co-defendant, Louis Saha Matturie, 40, who has entered not guilty pleas to all charges he faces.
Matturie, of Eccles, Salford, denies eight counts of rape and four counts of sexual assault, relating to eight young women. His alleged offences span July 2012 to August last year. Both defendants are on bail.
Mendy joined Manchester City in 2017 from the French club Monaco for a transfer fee of about £52m, which was then a record fee for a defender. He was suspended by the club when he was first charged by police in August last year.
Mendy has not played for the team since 15 August and did not appear at their Premier League title-winning celebrations at the Etihad Stadium last month.
