Thomas Partey Denies New Rape Allegations

Ex-Arsenal footballer Thomas Partey has entered not guilty pleas to two fresh allegations of rape. The 32-year-old midfielder appeared in court on Monday to deny the charges, which relate to an alleged incident in December 2020. Partey, who now plays for Villarreal, had previously been charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, dating back to 2021 and 2022, and had already pleaded not guilty to those charges. The two new allegations were announced in February, and a judge has agreed that all the charges should be tried together. However, the trial may now be delayed until January next year. In total, Partey has denied seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, relating to allegations from four different women. The Ghanaian midfielder, who is expected to play for his country in the World Cup this summer, is currently on bail with the condition that he does not contact the alleged victims. A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for May 14, after which a decision will be made on the exact trial date.