Embattled Manchester City defender Benjamin Mendy has been granted bail after 134 days in custody as he awaits trial.
The 27-year-old star is accused of a series of serious sex offences against young women.
The City defender had been due to go on trial this month but it has now been put back to June at the earliest and will be now subject to ‘stringent’ conditions while on bail.
The prosecution had request to extend Mendy’s custody time limit, but Judge Patrick Thompson declined their request.
The allegations against the footballer include three counts of rape alleged to have happened on October 11, 2020, a sexual assault on January 2 , 2021, one count of rape on July 24, 2021 and two counts of rape on August 23, 2021.
Mendy co-defendant Louis Saha Matturie, 40, of Edwin Court, Eccles, was already charged with six counts of rape and one sexual assault.
Mendy has played for Manchester City since 2017 when he joined from Monaco for a reported £52m.
He was suspended by the club after being charged by police, pending an investigation.