Thomas Partey Denies Latest Rape Allegations

Ex-Arsenal footballer Thomas Partey has entered not guilty pleas to two fresh allegations of rape. The 32-year-old midfielder 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, to which he also pleaded not guilty. A trial had been set for November, but the emergence of two new rape charges in February has led to a potential delay, with the trial now possibly taking place in January next year. The footballer 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. Partey, who will face England in the World Cup this summer as part of the Ghana national team, is currently on bail with the condition that he does not contact the alleged victims. His case is due to be listed in court again on May 14 for a pre-trial hearing, at which point a decision will be made on the exact trial date.