Thomas Partey Denies New Rape Allegations

Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has entered not guilty pleas to two fresh allegations of rape. The 32-year-old appeared in court on Monday to deny the charges, which relate to an alleged incident in London in December 2020. Partey, who now plays for Villarreal, 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 previous charges, with a trial date potentially set for January next year. Partey, who is on bail, spoke only to confirm his name and enter his pleas during the hearing. He is expected to play for Ghana in the upcoming World Cup and is subject to a condition that he does not contact the alleged victims during the legal proceedings.