Former Manchester City defender Benjamin Mendy on Wednesday, scored a partial victory in his legal battle against the Premier League club on Wednesday, winning a claim for over £11 million in unpaid wages after he was charged with, and later acquitted of, sexual offences.
The French international had filed an employment tribunal against Manchester City last year, seeking wages and interest for the period from when the club stopped paying him in September 2021 until the end of his contract in June 2023.
However, Mendy successfully argued that Manchester City had unlawfully withheld wages owed to him under his contract, asserting in a witness statement that he had been assured he would be paid once he was cleared of the charges.
The 30-year-old, who joined City in 2017 for £49 million from Monaco, had continued to receive full pay following his initial arrest in November 2020.
According to Manchester City's lawyers, Mendy was not paid because he "was not ready and able to perform his duties ... as a consequence of his own conduct", as he was held in custody before his trial for breaching his bail conditions.
During the tribunal, it was revealed that Mendy had initially filed a claim for around £11 million before tax, covering a 22-month period.
While the tribunal sided with him on the majority of his claim, the exact amount owed is still being negotiated. If the parties fail to reach an agreement, a future hearing will determine the final sum.
The tribunal also heard that former Manchester City Chief Operating Officer Omar Berrada had allegedly assured Mendy that his wages would be reinstated if he was acquitted.
In a written ruling on Wednesday, Judge Joanne Dunlop upheld part of Mendy’s case.
However, the summary of the tribunal's judgment stated: "The result of this decision is that Mr Mendy will be entitled to receive the majority of his unpaid salary, although not all of it."
In her ruling, Judge Dunlop stated that Benjamin Mendy had spent two periods in custody, totaling around five months of the 22-month period covered by his claim. During these times, she noted, Manchester City was entitled to withhold his wages.
Judge Dunlop found that when Mendy was not in custody, he was "ready and willing to work." However, she determined that he was prevented from doing so due to factors beyond his control, including his suspension by the Football Association and bail conditions, which were "unavoidable or involuntary" on his part.
Dunlop added: "In those circumstances, and absent any authorization in the contract for the employer to withhold pay, he was entitled to be paid.”
Meanwhile, Mendy transferred to Manchester City from AS Monaco in 2017 for a fee of around £52 million, with an annual salary of £6 million.
Following his retrial, he signed with French club Lorient, who are currently in Ligue 2.
