First pictures and video of Thomas Partey as ex-Arsenal man pleads not guilty to rape charges

Thomas Partey has been pictured leaving Southwark Crown Court after the former Arsenal midfielder pleaded not guilty to five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault.

After coming on as a second half substitute for Villarreal against Tottenham at Tottenahm Hotspur Stadium in the Champions League on Tuesday, the 32-year-old appeared in court on Wednesday. During the hearing at Southwark Crown Court, Partey pleaded not guilty to all six counts he is accused of.

He spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and his not guilty pleas during the short hearing. At the conclusion of Wednesday's hearing, Judge Christopher Hehir told Partey: “Your trial will take place at this court on November 2 of next year, 2026.

"I appreciate that is quite a long way in advance. As you may appreciate the crown courts have a huge backlog of work which means that trials do take a long time to come on. Because you have bail effectively you are sitting behind a queue of people in prison who are waiting to be tried.”

The judge granted bail on the same conditions as Partey was placed under at a previous hearing – that he cannot contact any of the three women and must notify police of any permanent changes of address or international travel.

After the hearing, Partey was pictured leaving Southwark Crown Court dressed in black trousers, black jumper and navy blazer. Earlier, as he arrived, the Ghana international stuck his thumb up to members of the media as he made his way into the court building.

Partey, who left Arsenal in the summer upon the expiry of his contract, has already featured five times for Villarreal this season. He will next appear at Southwark Crown Court on November 2, 2026 for trial.

The former Atletico Madrid man's lawyer, Jenny Wiltshire, has previously insisted her client "denies all the charges against him". She added: "He has fully cooperated with the police and CPS throughout their three-year investigation. He now welcomes the opportunity to finally clear his name. Given that there are now ongoing legal proceedings, my client is unable to comment further."

Partey was a key member of Mikel Arteta's squad last season. He made 52 appearances in all competitions and contributed with four goals and three assists. The Ghanaian signed from Atletico Madrid in 2020 for a fee of £45million and he went on to make 167 appearances for the club.

An Arsenal spokesperson previously said: “The player’s contract ended on June 30. Due to ongoing legal proceedings, the club is unable to comment on the case.”

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