Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has been granted conditional bail after appearing in court on serious criminal charges involving multiple women. The 32-year-old Ghanaian footballer is facing five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. The alleged incidents reportedly happened between 2021 and 2022 and involve three different women.
Partey, who strongly denies all the charges, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday. The hearing was brief—lasting less than 15 minutes. He wasn’t asked to plead guilty or not guilty but simply confirmed that he understood the charges and the conditions of his bail.
His case has now been moved to the Crown Court, and he’s expected to appear at the Old Bailey—the UK’s most high-profile criminal court—on September 2 for the next stage of the legal process.
This isn’t the first time Partey has been linked to the investigation. He was originally arrested back in July 2022, although at the time, his identity wasn’t made public. Despite that, he continued to play for Arsenal while the police carried out their inquiries.
Partey’s legal team has been clear in their stance. His lawyer, Jenny Wiltshire from Hickman and Rose, said in a statement:
“Thomas Partey denies all the charges against him. He has fully cooperated with the police and CPS throughout their three-year investigation. He now welcomes the opportunity to finally clear his name.”
The breakdown of the charges is as follows:
- Two counts of rape relate to one woman
- Three more counts of rape involve a second woman
- One count of sexual assault concerns a third woman
The footballer had been with Arsenal since 2020, after signing from Atlético Madrid in a deal worth £45 million. He made 52 appearances for the club last season but is now a free agent, with his contract officially ending on June 30.
Arsenal Football Club issued a brief statement to Sky Sports News, confirming his contract status and declining to comment further, saying:
“The player’s contract ended on June 30. Due to ongoing legal proceedings the club is unable to comment on the case.”
As the legal process continues, all eyes will be on the upcoming court date. For now, Partey remains on bail and maintains his innocence.
