Thomas Partey, the former Arsenal footballer, has entered not guilty pleas to two new allegations of rape. The pleas were made at Southwark Crown Court, where the 32-year-old confirmed his name and entered the denials during a hearing on April 10, 2026. This development brings the total number of rape charges against Partey to five, with an additional charge of sexual assault also outstanding.
The two new charges involve a fourth alleged victim, with the court hearing that this complainant came forward after news of the initial allegations became public.
Partey is currently on bail, subject to a condition that he does not contact alleged victims. His defence lawyer, Jenny Wiltshire, stated that Partey "continues to deny all charges against him."
Court Proceedings and Timeline
A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for May 14, 2026. A trial date for the initial set of charges was previously set for November 2026. The new charges were sent to the Crown Court for the hearing on April 10 by Judge Ikram. Earlier preliminary stages of the new charges were handled at Westminster Magistrates' Court, where Partey was excused from attending on March 7, 2026.
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Background
Partey made 167 appearances for Arsenal across five seasons before leaving the club for Villarreal last summer. Despite the ongoing legal proceedings in England, he continues to play for Villarreal in Spain. The footballer was initially charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault in July 2025, with the alleged incidents dating back to 2021 and 2022. He had previously pleaded not guilty to these earlier charges.
