Thomas Partey Denies New Rape Allegations

Ex-Arsenal footballer Thomas Partey entered not guilty pleas to two fresh allegations of rape. The 32-year-old midfielder appeared in court to deny raping a woman in London in December 2020. Partey, who now plays for Villarreal, was previously charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, which allegedly occurred between 2021 and 2022. He had already pleaded not guilty to these charges, with a trial initially set for November. However, two new rape charges were announced in February, and the judge has decided to try all allegations together, potentially delaying the trial until January next year. Partey has now pleaded not guilty to a total of 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 suit and black shoes. He was not present at the initial hearing for the new charges but his lawyer had indicated that he would plead not guilty. Partey, a key player for the Ghana national side, is expected to face England in the World Cup this summer. He has been released on bail with the condition that he does not contact the alleged victims. The case is set to be heard again on May 14 for a pre-trial hearing, with the trial date to be confirmed once the judge has been assigned.