A Chester Crown Court in the United Kingdom found Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy not guilty of six counts of rape and one count of sexual assault.
The verdict was reached by jurors following a six-month trial, albeit the jurors could not reach verdicts on one count of rape of a woman, 24, in October 2020 and one of attempted rape of another woman, 29, in 2018 after 14 days of deliberation.
The jury foreman repeated "not guilty" to the six counts, involving four young women or teenagers,while Mendy covered his face with both hands.
BBC Sports reports that the unanimous verdicts were delivered on Wednesday by the seven men and four women on the jury, though one juror was discharged earlier for medical reasons.
The sports media organisation explained that the verdicts could not be reported until jurors concluded considering the remaining two counts, after they were given a majority decision by Judge Steven Everett, which meant that the judge had to accept a 10-1 majority on any verdict.
Judge Everett discharged the jury on Friday to bring an end to the trial.
The prosecution Matthew Conway, at the end of the trial, said, "The prosecution has made a decision.
"We have made a decision today, which is to proceed on these counts in two separate trials and we seek today a provisional case management."
It was, however, stated by the prosecution that they sought a retrial on those counts the jury could not reach verdicts on, and that a retrial has been scheduled for 26 June.
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