thomas partey appeared at Southwark Crown Court on Monday, April 14, 2026 ET, and denied two new allegations of rape. The former Arsenal footballer entered not guilty pleas to claims he twice raped a woman in London in December 2020. The hearing also brought fresh court handling for a wider case that now involves seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault.
New pleas added to an already serious case
The court heard that thomas partey, 32, confirmed his name and entered the two not guilty pleas in person. He wore dark grey trousers, a black jumper over a white shirt, and smart black shoes during the hearing. The judge, Tony Baumgartner, the Recorder of Westminster, agreed that all of the allegations should be tried together.
The new rape allegations were announced in February 2026 ET. The earlier charges, brought in July 2025 ET, include five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, with those claims linked to allegations dating back to 2021 and 2022. In total, the case now covers four women.
Thomas Partey and the court timetable
thomas partey remained on bail during the proceedings, with the condition that he does not contact the alleged victims. The court also heard that the trial, which had originally been scheduled for November 2026 ET, could now be delayed until January 2027 ET because of the added allegations and the decision to hear the matters together.
Partey was absent from Westminster Magistrates’ Court at an earlier hearing when the charges first came before a judge, though his lawyer indicated then that not guilty pleas would be entered. He is next due in court for a pre-trial hearing on May 14, 2026 ET.
Immediate reaction inside the courtroom
There were no public remarks from Partey during the hearing beyond confirming his identity and entering the pleas. The proceedings were brief but significant, with the judge’s ruling setting the direction for what is now a single trial process covering the full set of allegations.
Partey joined Arsenal from Atletico Madrid in 2020 in a transfer worth about £45 million before leaving the club in June 2025 ET and moving to Villarreal last summer. The case now moves toward the next hearing, with thomas partey remaining on bail as the court prepares for the next stage.
What happens next will depend on the pre-trial hearing in May 2026 ET, when the court is expected to deal further with the timetable and trial arrangements. For now, thomas partey has denied all of the charges brought against him.
