Thomas Partey Denies New Rape Allegations

Ex-Arsenal footballer Thomas Partey has entered not guilty pleas to two new allegations of rape. The 32-year-old midfielder appeared at Southwark Crown Court to deny the charges, which relate to an alleged incident 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, dating back to 2021 and 2022. He had already pleaded not guilty to these charges, with a trial initially set for November this year. The two new allegations were announced in February, and a judge has agreed to try all the charges together. However, this may lead to a delay in the trial, potentially until January next year. In total, Partey has now denied seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, relating to allegations from four different women. The Ghanaian midfielder, who is expected to play for his national team in the World Cup this summer, is currently on bail with the condition that he does not contact the alleged victims. A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for May 14, at which point a decision will be made on the exact trial date.