EX-ARSENAL ACE THOMAS PARTEY PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO RAPE CHARGES HOURS AFTER PLAYING AGAINST SPURS

Former Arsenal footballer Thomas Partey has pleaded not guilty to raping two women.

The 32-year-old is accused of five counts of rape against the two alleged victims, as well as a charge of sexual assault against a third woman.

The alleged offences took place between 2021 and 2022 when he played for Arsenal.

Partey spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and his not guilty pleas during a short hearing at Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday.

Former Arsenal footballer Thomas Partey arrives at Southwark Crown Court in London, where he has been charged with five counts of rape against two women, as well as a charge of sexual assault against a third woman. Photo: Ben Whitley/PA Wire
 

The Ghanaian midfielder, who now plays for Spanish club Villarreal, faces trial under a High Court judge at the same court on November 2 next year.

Partey's latest court appearance comes hours after he came on as a substitute in his new club's Champions League fixture against Tottenham in London.

At the conclusion of the 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.

Villarreal's Thomas Partey during the warm down after their Champions League match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London on Tuesday night.
 

"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.

Partey, who previously gave his address as Potters Bar in Hertfordshire, joined Arsenal from Atletico Madrid in 2020 in a transfer worth around £45million.

The Ghanaian international played 35 games for the north London club in the Premier League last season, scoring four goals.

He has made more than 50 appearances for Ghana, including at the World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations.

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."

 - Josh Payne and Ellie Ng

 

 

FRENCH STRICKER WISSAM BEN YEDDER CHARGED WITH SEXUAL ASSAULT

Lahalle/L'Équipe

French soccer player Wissam Ben Yedder was taken into custody over the weekend and will stand trial on charges of "sexual assault in a state of inebriation," a judicial official told The Associated Press on Monday.

Nice prosecutor Damien Martinelli told the AP the public prosecutor's office has appealed the decision not to remand Ben Yedder into custody after the player was released following his arrest.

Sports newspaper L'Equipe reported earlier Monday that Ben Yedder, who was without a club since his contract with Monaco expired at the end of last season, was summoned to appear in court and has been placed under judicial supervision.

Martinelli said the trial has been set for Oct. 15.

The prosecutor did not give more details about the case.

L'Equipe reported Ben Yedder was arrested after a woman born in 2001 filed a lawsuit for sexual assault. The alleged events took place Friday night in Ben Yedder's car, the newspaper added.

In a separate legal case last year, Ben Yedder was charged with "rape, attempted rape and sexual assault" over another incident in the south of France.

The 34-year-old Ben Yedder notched 16 goals and three assists in the French league last season to help Monaco finish second behind Paris Saint-Germain.

In five seasons at Monaco, the France international scored 118 goals in 201 appearances in all competitions to become the second all-time leading scorer for the club behind retired Argentine striker Delio Onnis (223).

Ben Yedder has 19 caps for France, the last in June 2022.

- Associated Press 

VALENCIA'S RAFA MIR ARRESTED FOR ALLEGED SEXUAL ASSAULT

Valencia striker Rafa Mir was arrested by the Spanish Guardia Civil police for an alleged sexual assault, the club said Tuesday.

A Guardia Civil spokesperson confirmed that a LaLiga player had been detained in Valencia for alleged sexual assault against one woman but did not disclose the name.

Valencia said in a statement it was aware of the arrest and it will cooperate with the justice system. Mir's representatives could not immediately be reached for comment.

The news was first reported by the Cadena Ser radio network. It said another person allegedly involved in the assault has also been detained.

Sources close to the investigation told the Spanish news agency EFE that a 25-year-old woman filed a complaint against Mir on Monday following an incident at the footballer's house.

The woman alleges that she and her 21-year-old friend were sexually assaulted by Mir and another man at the residence.

EFE reported that the women went to hospital after the alleged assault and that the police have arrested only Mir so far, with a search ongoing for the second man.

Mir, 27, joined Valencia on loan from Sevilla this summer and has featured in all four of their matches in LaLiga so far this season.

The former Spain under-21 international had begun his senior career at Valencia, and played for Wolves, Las Palmas, Nottingham Forest, Huesca and Sevilla before returning.

Information from Reuters contributed to this story.

- Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens

KEVIN PORTER JR. ARRESTED ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CHARGES

NBA.com

The girlfriend of Houston Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. suffered a fractured neck vertebra and a cut above her right eye when she was assaulted in a hotel room, New York City prosecutors said Tuesday at Porter's arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court.

Porter, 23, is facing charges of felony assault and strangulation following the incident, alleged to have taken place Monday at the Millennium Hilton. He was not required to enter a plea at the arraignment and is scheduled to return to the Manhattan courtroom on Oct. 16.

Bail was set at $75,000. He also must stay away from the woman.

Field Level Media, as policy, does not name the victims of alleged sexual assaults.

'THE TRUTH WILL COME OUT': BEALE HEADED TO TRIAL FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT

Getty 

Wallabies star Kurtley Beale said the "truth will come out" after he was committed to stand trial for an alleged sexual assault in Bondi late last year.

Beale was in court at Sydney's Downing Centre on Thursday when his lawyer entered a plea of not guilty to three charges of sexual assault on a 28-year-old women in the toilets of the Beach Road Hotel in Bondi on Dec. 17.

DANI ALVES' WIFE JOANNA SANZ FILES FOR DIVORCE

 

Dani Alves' wife has filed for divorce after the soccer star was arrested for sexual assault.