Villarreal midfielder Thomas Partey is facing two fresh charges of rape from the British Metropolitan Police in the United Kingdom. The Ghanaian international has already been charged with five counts of rape before that.
The former Arsenal midfielder left London on a free after news of his legal case became public knowledge, and Villarreal, in spite of some fan backlash, signed him to a two-year contract last summer. Less than two months later, Partey was back in London for his court hearing related to the first case, in which the 32-year-old plead not guilty to five counts of rape and two counts of sexual assault. That case which involves two victims is ongoing.
Partey accused of two further counts of rape
According to Diario AS, Partey is now facing two further charges of rape in the United Kingdom. The second case is not related to the first, and relates to a complaint filed independently in 2020. This case is a separate investigation, and involves a third alleged victim. Partey has been summoned to court to provide his pleas again on Friday the 13th of March in London. Currently he is out on bail from the first series of charges.
Villarreal are yet to comment on the matter, but previously have defended their employment of Partey noting that he is innocent until proven guilty. The Yellow Submarine have certainly taken a hit in terms of their international reputation though.
Partey’s miserable return to Spain
On the pitch, which is the least important part of it all, Partey has had a miserable return to Spain. Struggling for form, Partey has made 21 appearances amounting to 1,068 minutes, of which 12 were starts. He has finished just three games, and after being removed at half-time of their 3-0 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen, manager Marcelino Garcia Toral told the press it was ‘very difficult to play’ at the pace Partey was.
