Ex-Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey denies rape charges in London court
Embattled former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Party, has denied charges of rape, involving two women and the sexual assault of a third.
The 32-year-old Ghanaian footballer pleaded not guilty to five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault at the Southwark Crown court on Wednesday.
Partey appeared in court a day after playing in his side’s Villarreal 1-0 loss to Tottenham in London.
During a short trial today, he only spoke to confirm his name and date of birth before pleading not guilty to each of the charges against him.
Partey who currently plies his trade in Spain was accused of raping two women and sexually assaulting another, between 2021 and 2022 while representing Arsenal.
He was charged just four days after leaving the club for Spanish side Villarreal, following the expiration of his contract in June, 2025.
The Black Star midfielder was granted bail on the conditions that he is not to contact any of the complainants and must give the police a 24-hour international travel notice or a notice of a permanent change of address.
According to Judge Christopher Hehir of Southwark Crown court, Partey is expected to appear in court for the commencement of his trial on November 2, 2026.
“Your trial will take place at this court on November 2 of next year, 2026. I appreciate that it is quite a long way in advance. As you may appreciate, the crown courts have a huge backlog of work, which means that trials do take a long time to come on,” Mr Hehir told Partey.
Partey spent five seasons in England after securing a move away from Athletico Madrid to Arsenal in October 2020 in a deal worth around £45 million.
He was fielded 167 times for the London club, finding the back of the net nine times.
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