Ghana’s Thomas Partey pleads not guilty to rape charges in UK court
Ghana and Villarreal midfielder Thomas Partey on Wednesday pleaded not guilty to multiple rape and sexual assault charges during a brief appearance at Southwark Crown Court in London. The 32-year-old former Arsenal player faces five counts of rape and one charge of sexual assault, relating to incidents alleged to have taken place between 2021 and 2022, while he was still at the Premier League club. Partey, who joined Villarreal in August after his Arsenal contract expired, was charged four days after leaving the Gunners. At the hearing, Partey spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth before entering not guilty pleas. Judge Christopher Hehir confirmed his trial is scheduled for November 2, 2026, noting court backlogs meant a lengthy wait. “You are on bail, which means you sit behind a queue of people in prison waiting to be […]