Thomas Partey Denies New Rape Allegations

Ex-Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has entered not guilty pleas to two additional rape allegations. The 32-year-old athlete appeared in Southwark Crown Court, denying the charges of raping a woman 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 was initially set for November, but with the introduction of two new rape charges in February, the court has decided to try all allegations together, potentially delaying the trial until January next year. In total, Partey has now pleaded not guilty to seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, related to allegations from four different women. During the hearing, Partey confirmed his name and entered the not guilty pleas while wearing a dark grey trouser and black jumper outfit. He was absent from the initial hearing last month, but his lawyer had indicated that not guilty pleas would be entered. Partey is currently out on bail with the condition that he does not contact the alleged victims. The Ghanaian footballer is expected to play for his national team in the World Cup this summer. A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for May 14, at which point a decision on the exact trial date will be made.