Thomas Partey pleads not guilty to rape and sexual assault charges
The Villarreal footballer, Thomas Partey, pleaded not guilty to the charges of rape and sexual assault brought against him by three women.
The 32-year-old Ghanaian midfielder maintains his bail, which allows him to continue playing while the legal process advances. He was charged in July with five counts of rape by two women and one count of sexual assault filed by a third.
Partey appeared in Southwark court, south of London, after having played a Champions League match against Tottenham Hotspur with Villarreal. The hearing determined that the trial will begin on November 2nd of this year.
The alleged facts reportedly occurred between 2021 and 2022, when the footballer was still playing for Arsenal. The player has denied all accusations against him.
In Tuesday’s match against Tottenham, Partey was subjected to constant booing from the home fans, who heckled him both during warm-up and during the game, chanting songs related to the investigations against him.
After his contract with Arsenal ended last June and he failed to get a renewal, Partey signed as a free agent with Villarreal just four days after the accusations were made public.
From the Spanish club, respect for the principle of the presumption of innocence was requested, although directors have made it clear that, if a conviction is confirmed, the player will not continue in the institution.
