Thomas Partey Denies Two Fresh Allegations of Rape

Ex-Arsenal footballer Thomas Partey has denied two new allegations of rape, bringing the total number of rape charges against him to seven, along with one count of sexual assault. The 32-year-old appeared in court on Monday to plead not guilty to the two new allegations, which relate to an incident 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. The new allegations were announced in February, and a judge has agreed to try all the charges together. However, this may lead to a delay in the trial, potentially pushing it back to January next year. Partey, who now plays for Villarreal, is on bail and is not allowed to contact the alleged victims during the proceedings. The footballer, who is a key player for the Ghana national side, is expected to face England in the World Cup this summer. A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for May 14, at which point a decision on the trial date will be made.