By M10News Crime Desk | August 5, 2025
Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has formally appeared in court to face multiple serious sexual offence charges, just days after departing the Premier League club.
The 32-year-old Ghanaian international stood before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday morning, where he was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault involving three different women. He was granted conditional bail pending further proceedings.
According to court documents, Partey is accused of raping one woman on two occasions, a second woman on three separate occasions, and sexually assaulting a third. The charges date back to incidents alleged to have occurred while he was under contract at Arsenal.
Partey was arrested initially in 2022 and remained on police bail throughout the 2022–23 and 2023–24 seasons. During that period, Arsenal continued to field the midfielder in competitive fixtures, including two Premier League title campaigns. Campaign groups have now sharply criticised the club’s stance.
Outside the courthouse, demonstrators from the group Arsenal Supporters Against Sexual Violence held a protest banner reading: “Arsenal said: ‘We do the right thing’ – Then did nothing.” The group has accused the club of failing to prioritise the concerns of survivors of sexual violence.
In the 2023–24 season, Partey made 35 Premier League appearances, scoring four goals. Arsenal released a brief statement following his formal charge on July 4, noting that his contract had expired on June 30 and that the club could not comment further due to legal proceedings.
Head coach Mikel Arteta was previously questioned on the club’s internal handling of the matter during a pre-season tour in Asia last month. He told reporters he was “100% confident” that Arsenal had followed all necessary processes regarding Partey’s situation.
Partey is now believed to be on the verge of a move to Spanish side Villarreal, having reportedly completed a medical and agreed personal terms. He is expected to return to La Liga, where he previously played for Atlético Madrid, Mallorca and Almería.
His court appearance in London comes just a day before Arsenal are due to face Villarreal in a pre-season friendly at the Emirates Stadium — a coincidence likely to raise further scrutiny.
The case has now been referred to the Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey), where a further hearing is scheduled for September 2.
Partey has not yet entered a plea, but his legal team has previously stated that he “denies all the charges against him.”
Editing by M10News Crime Desk | Contact: crime@m10news.com
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