Thomas Partey, former Arsenal midfielder, charged with rape, sexual assault – The Athletic – The New York Times

Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has been charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault.
The 32-year-old, who previously could not be named for legal reasons, has been the subject of an investigation that first started in February 2022 and had continued playing for the Premier League club prior to the expiry of his contract at the end of June.
Advertisement
The allegations relate to three separate women who reported incidents which took place between 2021 and 2022.
Partey, who denies all the charges against him, will now appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on Tuesday, August 5.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is an independent organisation that prosecutes criminal cases that have been investigated by the police and other investigative bodies in England and Wales.
The Athletic previously reported the CPS were assessing a “full file” of evidence that was sent to them by the Metropolitan Police.
Jaswant Narwal, of the CPS, said: “The Crown Prosecution Service has today authorised the prosecution of Thomas Partey for multiple counts of rape — after carefully reviewing a comprehensive file of evidence.
“Our prosecutors have worked closely with officers in the Metropolitan Police who have carried out the investigation, to review the evidence and advise on the appropriate charges.
“We remind everyone that criminal proceedings are active, and the defendant has the right to a fair trial.
“We know there will be significant public interest in this announcement, but it is absolutely vital that there is no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”
The Met Police’s detective superintendent Andy Furphy, whose team led the investigation, said: “Our priority remains providing support to the women who have come forward.
“We would ask anyone who has been impacted by this case, or anyone who has information, to speak with our team. You can contact detectives about this investigation by emailing CIT@met.police.uk.”
Partey’s lawyer, Jenny Wiltshire, said in a statement: “Thomas Partey denies all the charges against him. He has fully cooperated with the police and CPS throughout their three-year investigation.
Advertisement
“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 made 167 appearances for Arsenal after joining from Atletico Madrid in a €50million (now £42.7m; $57.3m) transfer in October 2020. A Ghana international, he has 51 caps for his country, including featuring at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
(Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

source