Ghana player Partey pleads not guilty to additional rape charges in UK

Villarreal soccer player Thomas Partey appeared in a London court on ​Monday where he pleaded not guilty ‌to two additional charges of rape.

Partey, a Ghana international, has previously denied five counts of rape ​relating to two women, plus a ​charge of sexual assault against a ⁠third woman, between 2021 and 2022.

The ​32-year-old midfielder was subsequently charged with two ​further offences of rape relating to a fourth complainant in December 2020, to which he pleaded ​not guilty at Southwark Crown Court.

The ​alleged offences took place when Partey played for Premier ‌League ⁠soccer club Arsenal. He left the club last summer and signed for Spain’s Villarreal.

Partey was released on bail ahead of his ​trial, which ​was ⁠due to start in November but could be delayed.

Partey was signed ​by Arsenal from Atletico Madrid ​for ⁠50 million euros ($58.49 million) in 2020 and became a key member of the English ⁠side’s ​first team, before his ​contract expired at the end of June.

-Reuters

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