Thomas Partey Enters Pleas of Not Guilty to Additional Rape Allegations

Ex-Arsenal football player Thomas Partey has entered not guilty pleas to two new allegations of rape. The 32-year-old athlete appeared at Southwark Crown Court, denying the rape of a woman in London that allegedly occurred in December 2020. Partey, who transferred from Arsenal to Villarreal last summer, had previously been charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault in July of the preceding year, with the alleged incidents dating back to 2021 and 2022. He had already pleaded not guilty to these charges, with a trial initially set for November of this year. Following the announcement of two new rape charges in February, Judge Tony Baumgartner, the Recorder of Westminster, agreed to consolidate all allegations for a single trial, warning that this might lead to a delay until January of the following year. In total, Partey has now pleaded not guilty to seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, stemming from allegations made by four different women. During the hearing, Partey, dressed in dark grey trousers, a black jumper, and smart black shoes, confirmed his identity and entered the not guilty pleas. He had been absent from a previous court appearance but his lawyer had indicated that not guilty pleas would be entered. Partey, a Ghanaian midfielder who previously resided in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, and joined Arsenal from Atletico Madrid in 2020 for a transfer worth around £45m, is expected to play for the Ghana national side in the World Cup this summer. He is currently on bail, with the condition that he does not contact the alleged victims. The court anticipates that Mr Justice Bennathan will preside over the trial, with the next pre-trial hearing scheduled for May 14, at which point a decision on the exact trial date will be made.