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 at Southwark Crown Court to deny the charges, which relate to an alleged incident in London in December 2020. Partey had previously been charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, dating back to 2021 and 2022, and had also pleaded not guilty to those charges. The new allegations, announced in February, will be tried together with the existing ones, with a trial date potentially set for January next year. Partey, who now plays for Villarreal, has been released on bail with the condition that he does not contact the alleged victims. He is expected to be a key player for the Ghana national team in the upcoming World Cup. The case is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing on May 14, with the trial judge expected to be Mr Justice Bennathan.