MANCHESTER City's Benjamin Mendy has been REFUSED bail after having a "meltdown over prison" while being held for rape.

Mendy, 27, now faces at least another week in prison after being transported to HMP Altcourse on Friday as he appeared in court charged with four counts of rape and one of sexual assault.

The Manchester City ace hired expensive lawyers to try and get him released from prison – where he has been remanded ahead of another court date on September 10.

But a judge at Chester Crown Court today refused his application after hearing legal arguments from both sides.

A source said: “Mendy’s family will be devastated at the news he is going to stay in prison.

"They had expected that a judge would let him go home, under strict bail conditions.”

Last week, Mendy allegedly thought he was going to be locked up on a VIP wing for celebrities and sports stars.

The Manchester City defender was previously shocked to learn that he was not being allowed to return to his £5million mansion in Cheshire.

When he arrived at the Category B jail in Liverpool he was told he was going to be put on the VP wing.

It is to keep vulnerable prisoners, including sex offender suspects, away from the main prison population.

But 2018 World Cup winner Mendy misunderstood prison staff and thought he was going to the VIP wing.

The source said: “When Mendy arrived staff explained he was going to be kept on the VP wing for his own safety.

“But perhaps because he is French and his English isn’t great, he misunderstood what they had said and thought he was being taken to a VIP wing for celebrities.

“He had a rude awakening when he saw the cell and realised who he was going to be mixing with.

“He wasn’t happy and it was a very sobering experience for him.”

Earlier in August, Mendy appeared in court charged with sex attacks on three women – including an alleged assault "just weeks ago".

Mendy showed no emotion as he was remanded in custody following the hearing over the four counts of alleged rape and one of sexual assault.

He was immediately suspended by the football club pending an investigation.

Detectives said the charges relate to three complainants — all over the age of 16 — and are alleged to have taken place between October last year and this month.

Mendy is charged with three counts of rape against a woman at his home address in October last year. 

The French international was arrested last November at his £5million home in Prestbury, Cheshire.

He was then released pending further investigation. 

Mendy faces another rape charge from the last seven days – when he was still on police bail. 

The defender is also accused of sexually assaulting a female in January at his home.

He then faces a final charge of breaking bail conditions last week.

CHARGED FOR RAPE

The charges relate to three different women. 

Mendy, who earns £90,000 a week, previously arrived at court in a prison van with a police escort.

The DAF van was escorted by a Peugeot 308 police car – before driving into the court building through an open red shutter door, which was then closed behind it.

He was wearing a red hoodie and black jogging bottoms, and spoke only to confirm his name, address and date of birth.  

In a statement, the club said: “Manchester City can confirm that following his being charged by police today, Benjamin Mendy has been suspended pending an investigation.

“The matter is subject to a legal process and the club is therefore unable to make further comment until that process is complete.”

Cheshire Police said the Crown Prosecution Service authorised the charges to be brought.

Premier League champions Man City spent a reported £49.2million signing Mendy from French side Monaco in 2017.

He last played for the club on August 15 during their 1-0 defeat to Tottenham at the start of the season.

But he was part of the squad that defeated Norwich 5-0 last weekend.

In September last year City boss Pep Guardiola revealed Mendy would be out of the game for at least a month due to an injury.

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