LONDON (AP) — Former Arsenal player Thomas Partey intends to plead not guilty to two new rape charges, his lawyer told a London court on Friday.
The 32-year-old Ghanaian midfielder, who currently plays for Spanish club Villarreal, is awaiting trial on five separate counts of rape involving two women and one count of sexual assault involving a third woman.
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The new accusations come after another woman accused Patty of raping her twice on the same day in December 2020. The new charges follow the release of the first set of charges, according to a court hearing on Friday.
Partey was not required to attend Friday’s preliminary hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court. His lawyer Emma Finn said he planned to plead not guilty to both charges. The next court date in the case is April 10.
Partey pleaded not guilty to the first set of charges and went on trial at Southwark Crown Court in November. Prosecutors said the alleged crimes occurred between 2021 and 2022.
The midfielder joined Arsenal from Atletico Madrid in 2020.
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He was initially charged in July last year, days after his Arsenal contract expired. Villarreal signed him in August, two days after he was released on bail.
Ghana has qualified for the World Cup, in a group with England, Croatia and Panama.
Partey played in three World Cup qualifiers in September and October. He has made over 50 appearances for Ghana.
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