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 on Monday to deny the allegations of raping a woman in London in December 2020. Partey, who joined Villarreal from Arsenal last summer, was previously charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, which allegedly took place between 2021 and 2022. He had already pleaded not guilty to these charges, with a trial initially set for November this year. The two new rape allegations were announced in February, and the court has decided to try all the charges together. However, this may cause a delay in the trial, potentially pushing it back to January next year. In total, Partey has now denied seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, relating to allegations made by 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 was previously absent from a hearing last month, but his lawyer had indicated that he would plead not guilty. Partey, a key player for the Ghana national team, is expected to play 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, and a decision on the exact trial date will be made once the judge has been confirmed.