Nathaniel Mendez-Laing Denies Assaulting Wife Saira

Nathaniel Mendez-Laing has denied assaulting his wife after appearing before magistrates over an alleged attack at the couple’s home.

The MK Dons winger, 34, is accused of assault by beating against his wife, Saira Mendez-Laing, at their luxury property in Shenstone, Staffordshire, in June.

Police were called to the address and Mendez-Laing, a former Premier League player with Cardiff City and Wolves, was arrested and later charged with assault by beating.

He appeared at Cannock magistrates’ court on Friday, arriving on crutches, and spoke only to confirm his name, age and address before entering a not guilty plea to a single count of assault by beating.

The court was told that Saira, the mother of Mendez-Laing’s child, had allegedly been repeatedly struck over the head and suffered an arm injury during the incident. The dispute was said to have started after a “disagreement about a phone”. Mendez-Laing denies any physical attack.

Charges were authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service last month.

District Judge Joseph O’Connor granted the forward conditional bail and listed the case for trial in January next year.

Birmingham-born Mendez-Laing represents the Guatemala national team, qualifying through his mother and maternal grandmother, who were both born in the Central American country. He scored four goals in 20 Premier League appearances for Cardiff City in the 2019/20 season before leaving the club in September 2020.

Mendez-Laing and Saira were married in June last year. MK Dons marked the occasion at the time by posting a wedding photograph and a congratulatory message on the club’s official social media channels.

The League One side, currently 19th in the table, said it could not comment on an ongoing court case.