Thomas Partey, a former Arsenal football player, has pleaded not guilty to two new allegations of rape. The 32-year-old midfielder appeared in Southwark Crown Court on Monday, denying the allegations that he raped a woman 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 in July last year, with the alleged incidents 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 rape allegations were announced in February, and Judge Tony Baumgartner has decided that all the allegations will be tried together.
However, he warned that the trial may be delayed until January next year. In total, Partey has now pleaded not guilty to seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, relating to allegations from four different women. During the hearing, Partey confirmed his name and entered the not guilty pleas. He was granted bail with the condition that he does not contact the alleged victims.
The case is expected to be heard by Mr Justice Bennathan, with a pre-trial hearing scheduled for May 14 to determine the exact trial date.