On September 17, 2025, Thomas Partey, the 32-year-old Ghanaian footballer formerly of Arsenal FC and now with Villarreal CF, appeared at Southwark Crown Court in London and pleaded not guilty to all six charges against him: five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, involving three women, stemming from alleged incidents in London between 2021 and 2022. The brief 14-15 minute hearing saw Partey, dressed in a black zip-neck jumper and trousers, confirm his name and date of birth before entering his pleas. His lawyer, Jenny Wiltshire, reiterated his denial of the allegations, consistent with his cooperation during the three-year Metropolitan Police investigation, which began in February 2022 and led to his initial arrest in July of that year.
Judge Christopher Hehir, presiding over the case, maintained Partey’s conditional bail, which includes no contact with the complainants and a requirement to notify police 24 hours in advance for international travel, allowing him to continue playing professionally. This appearance followed Partey’s substitute role in Villarreal’s 1-0 Champions League loss to Tottenham Hotspur in London the previous evening, where coach Marcelino Garcia Toral praised his mental resilience.Due to significant court backlogs in the UK, Judge Hehir scheduled the full trial for November 2, 2026, at Southwark Crown Court, noting that cases involving defendants in custody take priority.
The trial, expected to last several weeks under a High Court judge, will address the serious charges: two counts of rape against one woman, three counts against a second, and one count of sexual assault against a third. Partey left the court without comment, and public reactions on platforms like X have been polarized, with some Ghanaian fans defending his presumption of innocence and others criticizing Villarreal’s decision to sign him on August 8, 2025, shortly after the charges were filed.
