Thomas Partey Pleads Not Guilty to Additional Rape Allegations

Ex-Arsenal footballer Thomas Partey has denied two fresh allegations of rape. The 32-year-old midfielder appeared in court on Monday to plead not guilty to the charges, which relate to an incident in London in December 2020. Partey had previously been charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault in July last year, to which he also pleaded not guilty. A trial for these charges was set for November this year. The two new allegations were announced in February, and the judge has agreed to try all the charges together. However, this may lead to a delay in the trial, potentially pushing it back to January next year. In total, Partey now faces 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 and a black jumper, confirmed his name and entered the not guilty pleas. He was granted bail with the condition that he must not contact the alleged victims. Partey is expected to play for Ghana in the World Cup this summer. His case is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing on May 14, at which point a decision will be made on the exact trial date.