Thomas Partey Denies New Rape Allegations

Ex-Arsenal footballer Thomas Partey has denied two fresh allegations of rape. The 32-year-old midfielder appeared at Southwark Crown Court, where he pleaded not guilty to 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 in July last year, all of which he denied. 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 has now pleaded not guilty to a total of seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, related to allegations from four women. He was granted bail with the condition that he does not contact the alleged victims. Partey is expected to play for Ghana in the World Cup this summer. A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for May 14, with the trial judge expected to be Mr Justice Bennathan.