Manchester City, the Premier League club, has been ordered by a court to pay its former player, Benjamin Mendy, approximately £8.5 million. The ruling came after the club had unjustly ceased his monthly salary of £5000,000.
Benjamin Mendy, 30 years old and previously facing allegations of sexual assault, took Manchester City to an employment tribunal last month. He claimed that the club had wrongfully stopped his salary payments despite him being cleared of all charges later on.
Tribunal Judge Joanne Dunlop ruled on Wednesday that Mr Mendy should be entitled to most of his £11 million claim for unauthorized deductions from his wages by Manchester City. His claim spanned a 22-month period during which he was not entitled to pay for five months due to breaching bail conditions and subsequent custody. This ruling implies that Manchester City is legally obligated to pay around £8.5m in unpaid wages owed to the French defender.
In her 26-page ruling document, Judge Dunlop highlighted:
- Mr Mendy argued he was an innocent man whose life was ruined by false allegations.
- On the other hand, lawyers representing Manchester City suggested that Mr Mendy ignored their advice and brought much trouble upon himself.
- While both narratives hold some validity according to Judge Dunlop's conclusion; she affirmed that legally speaking; Mr Mendy is owed this money.
Tribunal Judge Dunlop, said:
"I doubt that quite so much legal expertise and endeavour has ever before been expended in the prosecution and defence of a wages claim brought by a single claimant. But then, I am also fairly sure that no other single claimant has ever alleged that sums in the region of £11 million have been deducted from his wages."
Arguments presented at Tribunal
Sean Jones KC represented Manchester City at the two-day tribunal hearing where he stated that Mr Mendy only had himself blame for not receiving payment due to his womanising behaviour and partying during Covid lockdowns which led him breach bail conditions resulting in jail time.
Sean Jones KC, Benjamin Mendy’s lawyer, said:
"As a result of allegations that turned out to have all been dismissed, he spent over four months in custody - time he can never get back."
However Nick De Marco KC who represented Mr Mendy, argued that the case was not about the footballer's lifestyle but rather his legal right to wages.
Legal history of Mr Mendy
Mr Benjamin Mendy was acquitted of six counts of rape and one count of sexual assault in January 2023. However, the jury could not reach a verdict on another count of rape and one count of attempted rape. This led to a retrial where Mr Mendy was found not guilty on both charges.
This court ruling serves as a significant precedent for sports clubs regarding their financial obligations towards players facing legal issues. Despite any personal or professional controversies surrounding an athlete, their contractual rights must be respected and upheld.
