Veteran Ghanaian footballer Thomas Partey appeared at Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday and formally entered not guilty pleas to multiple charges of rape and sexual assault.
The charges, stemming from alleged incidents between April 2021 and June 2022, involve three women. He is accused of five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault.
Thirty-two-year-old Partey, the midfielder now signed with Villarreal, was previously a key player for Arsenal in the English Premier League. The alleged offences are said to have taken place during his time at Arsenal. On this occasion in court, he spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth before pleading not guilty to all charges.
Judge Christopher Hehir presided over the hearing and scheduled the trial for 2 November 2026, expecting proceedings to last between six and eight weeks. He acknowledged that the trial date is far in the future, noting that “crown courts have a huge backlog of work which means that trials do take a long time to come on.”
Partey has been granted bail under strict conditions that mirror those imposed at a preceding hearing. He is prohibited from contacting any of the three women who bring the allegations. He must notify police of any permanent change in address or if he plans to travel abroad.
The legal charges emerged in July 2025 when the Metropolitan Police, after an investigation involving three complainants, brought forward allegations covering two women in respect of the rape charges and a third for sexual assault.
: Thomas Partey pleads NOT guilty.
He denies five rapes and one sexual-assault charge over alleged incidents from 2021–22.
Trial scheduled for 2 November 2026 in London.
— @carrusel pic.twitter.com/veLHAnlHOt
— The Touchline | (@TouchlineX) September 17, 2025
Partey has continuously denied all allegations. His legal counsel has stated he “denies all the charges and welcomes the opportunity to finally clear his name.”
The background to the case is complex and stretches over several years. Partey was first arrested in July 2022. At that time, the allegations were under investigation, but he was not publicly named. During that period, he continued to play for Arsenal.
In January 2025, the Metropolitan Police submitted the full file to the Crown Prosecution Service, which then formally pressed charges in July of that year. Partey’s contract with Arsenal expired at the end of June 2025, and shortly after, he signed with Villarreal. The club has confirmed that he maintains his innocence and has emphasized respect for the principle of presumption of innocence.
Outside the courtroom, public interest remains high. Partey played for Villarreal in their Champions League match against Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday, just a day prior to appearing at Southwark Court. His appearance on the pitch was met with boos from Spurs fans.
Partey remains a prominent figure in international football, having represented Ghana many times, including in the Africa Cup of Nations and the World Cup. He joined Arsenal from Atlético Madrid in 2020 for a transfer fee reported to be around £45 million.
His performances in England had made him one of the more respected midfielders in the Premier League before his move to Villarreal as a free agent this summer.