Ex-Arsenal footballer Thomas Partey has denied two fresh allegations of rape, bringing the total number of charges against him to eight. The 32-year-old midfielder appeared at Southwark Crown Court, where he pleaded not guilty to twice raping a woman 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. The two new allegations were announced in February, and a judge has agreed to try all the charges together, with a trial date potentially set for January next year. Partey, who now 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, at which point a decision will be made on the exact trial date.