Former Arsenal midfielder Partey granted bail on rape charge

The Ghana international, who near Arsenal this summer, has been charged with intersexual assaults connected 3 women.

Former Arsenal footballer Thomas Partey has been granted conditional bail aft appearing successful a London tribunal connected rape and intersexual battle charges.

The 32-year-old Ghana planetary has been charged with 5 counts of rape against 2 women and 1 number of intersexual battle against a 3rd woman.

The alleged offences took spot betwixt 2021 and 2022, erstwhile helium was an Arsenal player.

Partey was charged connected July 4, 4 days aft leaving the Gunners erstwhile his declaration expired astatine the extremity of June.

The midfielder stood with his arms down his backmost successful the dock astatine Westminster Magistrates’ Court connected Tuesday, wearing a achromatic zip-neck jumper.

The footballer showed nary absorption arsenic the charges were work retired and was not asked to participate immoderate pleas.

Partey’s lawyer, Jenny Wiltshire, antecedently said Partey “denies each the charges against him”, adding helium welcomed “the accidental to yet wide his name”.

Under his bail conditions, helium cannot interaction immoderate of the 3 women and indispensable notify constabulary of immoderate imperishable changes of code oregon planetary travel.

Reports successful caller days person linked Partey with a determination to La Liga nine Villarreal.

As bail conditions were discussed successful court, Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring said: “I recognize he’s nary longer employed successful this state and playing successful Spain now.”

Partey is owed to look astatine London’s Old Bailey tribunal connected September 2.

A spokesperson for Arsenal Supporters Against Sexual Violence said the radical was “profoundly disappointed” successful the London nine implicit their handling of the matter.

Speaking extracurricular court, Honor Barber told the PA quality agency: “We ne'er wanted to beryllium successful a concern wherever the nine that we emotion and the nine that has values that we judge successful was playing, week-in, week-out, a subordinate who is present facing tribunal appearances connected six counts of intersexual violence.

“We protested extracurricular astir each location crippled past play due to the fact that we wanted to disrupt the partition of soundlessness that the nine has enactment up astir this issue.”

Barber said the radical wanted the nine to people their intersexual unit policies, “suspend anyone nether probe for intersexual offences” and “properly enactment the survivors”.

British constabulary said they archetypal received reports of an allegation of rape successful February 2022.

Partey joined Arsenal for 45 cardinal pounds ($60m) from Atletico Madrid successful October 2020.

He appeared 52 times for the Gunners past season, scoring 4 goals. Overall, helium played 167 games for the club, scoring 9 times.

Partey has besides made 51 appearances for Ghana.

An Arsenal spokesperson antecedently said: “The player’s declaration ended connected June 30. Due to ongoing ineligible proceedings, the nine is incapable to remark connected the case.”

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies