Former Arsenal player Thomas Partey is poised to contest two new allegations of rape, as a court has been informed, with the midfielder not present for the initial hearing.
The 32-year-old was charged last month with two counts of raping a woman during a date in December 2020.
During the proceedings at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday, Partey was absent as Deputy Chief Magistrate Tan Ikram addressed the preliminary aspects of the case.
The footballer had been excused from attending the hearing, but his attorney, Emma Fenn, indicated that he plans to plead not guilty to both allegations.
Partey was charged last year with five counts of rape involving two women and sexual assault concerning a third alleged victim, following an investigation by the Metropolitan Police.
He has already entered not guilty pleas to all of those accusations, which pertain to incidents from 2021 and 2022, and is scheduled to stand trial at Southwark Crown Court in November.
The court was informed on Friday that the two new rape allegations emerged after the initial set of charges became public.
Prosecutor Arabella MacDonald stated in court: “Mr Partey faces two additional charges of rape dating back to December 2020.”
“The complainant came forward after the news regarding Mr Partey’s other cases was widely disseminated.”
Judge Ikram forwarded the two new rape charges—pertaining to a fourth alleged victim—to the crown court for a hearing on April 10.
In the new allegations, the Ghanaian midfielder, who currently plays for Spanish club Villarreal, is accused of raping a woman twice in London on a day in December 2020.
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The footballer, who previously resided in Potters Bar in Hertfordshire, transferred to Arsenal from Atletico Madrid in 2020 for a fee of approximately £45 million ($59.7m), before departing the club in June of the previous year.
He has represented Ghana in over 50 matches, including appearances at the World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations.
Partey was granted bail on Friday, with the stipulation that he does not contact the alleged victim.
He is anticipated to be present at the next court hearing in April.
