Thomas Partey Denies New Rape Allegations

Ex-Arsenal footballer Thomas Partey has denied two fresh allegations of rape. The 32-year-old midfielder appeared in court on Monday, pleading not guilty to 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 entered not guilty pleas to those charges. A trial was initially set for November this year, but with the addition of the two new rape charges, the trial may now be postponed until January next year. Partey has now pleaded not guilty to a total of seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, relating to allegations from four different women. The case will be tried together, with Judge Tony Baumgartner, the Recorder of Westminster, presiding. Partey, who currently plays for Villarreal, is on bail and is expected to face England in the World Cup this summer as part of the Ghana national team. A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for May 14, with a decision on the exact trial date to be made once the trial judge is confirmed.