Former Arsenal footballer Thomas Partey intends to disclaim two new allegations of rape, a court docket has heard, because the midfielder was absent from the dock for the primary listening to.
The 32-year-old was charged final month with two counts of raping a lady on a date in December 2020.
At Westminster Magistrates’ Court docket on Friday, Partey was not in court docket as Deputy Chief Justice of the Peace Tan Ikram handled the preliminary levels of the case.
The footballer had been excused from the listening to, however his lawyer, Emma Fenn, indicated he intends to plead not responsible to each fees.
Partey was charged final yr with 5 counts of rape in opposition to two ladies and sexual assault in opposition to a 3rd alleged sufferer, following a Metropolitan Police investigation.
He has already entered not responsible pleas to all of these allegations, which date again to 2021 and 2022, and is because of face trial at Southwark Crown Court docket in November.
The court docket heard on Friday the 2 new allegations of rape got here to mild after the primary set of fees had been revealed.
Arabella MacDonald, prosecuting, instructed the court docket: “Mr Partey faces two further charges of rape dating back to December 2020.
“The complainant got here ahead after information of Mr Partey’s different issues had been extensively publicised.”
Decide Ikram despatched the 2 new fees of rape – involving a fourth alleged sufferer – to the crown court docket for a listening to on April 10.
Within the new fees, the Ghanaian midfielder, who now performs for Spanish membership Villarreal, is accused of twice raping a lady in London on a day in December 2020.
The footballer, who beforehand lived in Potters Bar in Hertfordshire, joined Arsenal from Atletico Madrid in 2020 in a switch value round £45m, earlier than he left the membership in June final yr and joined Villarreal.
He has made greater than 50 appearances for Ghana, together with on the World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations.
Partey was launched on bail on Friday, with a situation that he doesn’t contact the alleged sufferer.
He’s anticipated to attend the subsequent court docket listening to in April.
