Thomas Partey, the Ghanaian international who plays for Villarreal, has denied five counts of rape against his partner this week. He is due to face one count of sexual assault at Southwark Crown Court. The charges stem from conduct he allegedly engaged in from 2021 to 2022. When the complaint was filed, Partey had not been permanently removed from Arsenal’s roster.
At a recent hearing, Partey was released on bail under largely the same conditions as before. Additionally, he shall have no contact with any of the three women who filed the case before the court. Moreover, he must report in person to law enforcement authorities whenever there are any permanent changes to his residence or if he plans to travel abroad.
Partey, who has made over 50 appearances for the Ghana national team, played in both the World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations. He transferred to Arsenal in 2020 from Atletico Madrid in a transfer worth a reported £45 million. In what turned out to be his final season with Arsenal, Partey made 35 Premier League starts, netting four goals in the process.
The allegations against Partey came out after his arrest in July 2022. He was not named publicly at that point. While the investigations moved forward, he kept playing for Arsenal. The criminal charges were officially filed against him on July 4, 2023.
It will be heard by a single High Court judge. It’s scheduled to be heard at Southwark Crown Court, beginning November 2, 2026. IO’s photo of Judge Christopher Hehir answering the timeline of the trial.
“Your trial will take place at this court on November 2 of next year, 2026. I appreciate that is quite a long way in advance. As you may appreciate, the crown courts have a huge backlog of work which means that trials take a long time to come on. Because you have bail, effectively you are sitting behind a queue of people in prison who are waiting to be tried.”
Partey’s legal team will no doubt be taking steps to mount a vigorous defense at his upcoming trial as the world of football looks on. The result would be life-changing for him, in terms of his professional and home life.
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