Thomas Partey Denies New Rape Allegations

Ex-Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has pleaded not guilty to two fresh allegations of rape. The 32-year-old appeared in court to deny raping a woman in London on a day in December 2020. Partey, who now plays for Villarreal, was previously charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, dating back to 2021 and 2022, to which he also pleaded not guilty. A trial was initially set for November this year. However, with the two new allegations announced in February, the judge has agreed to try all the allegations together, warning that 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. During the hearing, Partey, dressed in dark grey trousers, a black jumper, and smart black shoes, confirmed his name and entered the not guilty pleas. He left the courtroom with his charcoal grey suit jacket over his shoulder. Partey was not present at the previous hearing but his lawyer had indicated that he would plead not guilty. The Ghanaian midfielder, who joined Arsenal from Atletico Madrid in 2020 before leaving for Villarreal last summer, is expected to play for Ghana in the World Cup this summer. He is currently on bail with the condition that he does not contact the alleged victims. The case is set to be heard in court again on May 14 for a pre-trial hearing, with the exact trial date to be confirmed later.