Ex-Arsenal footballer Thomas Partey to disclaim two new rape allegations
Thomas Partey, who left Arsenal to join Villarreal last summer, is set to deny new allegations of rape after he was charged last month
Thomas Partey is set to deny the two new allegations(Image: Zeynep Demir Aslim/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey is set to deny two new allegations of rape, a court has heard.
Partey, who left the north London side in the summer to join Villarreal, was due at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday after he was charged with two counts of raping a woman on a date in December 2020.
The 32-year-old was excused from the hearing, but his lawyer, Emma Fenn, indicated he intends to plead not guilty to both charges. Partey was charged last year with five counts of rape against two women and sexual assault against a third alleged victim, following a Metropolitan Police investigation.
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He has denied these charges, which date back to 2021 and 2022, and is due to face trial at Southwark Crown Court in November.
And the court was told the new allegations of rape came to light after the first set of charges had been revealed.
Arabella MacDonald, prosecuting, told the court: “Mr Partey faces two further charges of rape dating back to December 2020.“The complainant came forward after news of Mr Partey’s other matters were widely publicised.”
Deputy Chief Magistrate Tan Ikram sent the two new charges – against an alleged fourth victim – to the crown court for a hearing on April 10.
Partey was released on bail on Friday, with a condition that he does not contact the alleged victim. He is expected to attend the next court hearing in April.
Partey is currently in Spain, and he is part of the Villarreal’s travelling squad for their clash with Deportivo Alaves on Friday evening.
Villarreal sit third in Spain’s top division, La Liga, with Partey making 17 appearances.
