Former Arsenal Player Denies Further Rape Charges

Former Arsenal Player Denies Further Rape Charges

Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey, 32, has entered not guilty pleas to two new allegations of rape. These charges relate to an incident in London in December 2020. Mr Partey, who transferred from Arsenal to Villarreal last summer, appeared at Southwark Crown Court to deny the accusations.

These latest charges are in addition to five previous counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, to which Mr Partey also pleaded not guilty. These earlier allegations span from 2021 to 2022. In total, he now faces seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault involving four separate women.

Judge Tony Baumgartner, the Recorder of Westminster, has approved a collective trial for all the allegations. Originally, the trial was scheduled for November of this year, but due to the new charges, it may now be postponed until January 2027.

Mr Partey remains on bail, with the condition that he must not contact the alleged victims. He joined Arsenal from Atletico Madrid in 2020 in a deal valued at approximately £45 million, departing the club last June. He is also expected to represent Ghana in the upcoming World Cup.