Ex-Arsenal footballer pleads not guilty to rape charges - hours after playing against Spurs

Ex-Arsenal player Thomas Partey has pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault charges - hours after returning to north London for a Champions League match with new side Villarreal.

The footballer appeared at Southwark Crown Court and spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth and enter his pleas to the charges relating to three women. He is accused of five counts of rape relating to two women, and a charge of sexual assault against a third woman, between April 2021 and June 2022.

Lawyer Jenny Wiltshire previously said Partey "denies all the charges against him". The alleged incidents took place while Partey played in the Premier League - before his move to Spain.

His new team were in town to take on Tottenham in their first European match of the season, and Partey was introduced from the bench with 12 minutes to go. The match involving the Ghana midfielder came less than a month after an appearance at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 5 August.

Read more from Sky News:Actor Robert Redford diesCharlie Kirk suspect appears in court Partey, 32, was charged in July - just four days after leaving Arsenal following the expiration of his contract. He had joined the club from Atletico Madrid in 2020.

The Metropolitan Police said it first received reports of an allegation of rape in February 2022. An Arsenal spokesperson previously said: "The player's contract ended on 30 June.

Due to ongoing legal proceedings, the club is unable to comment on the case." Why was Partey playing? Villarreal signed him last month, with the midfielder having been granted conditional bail. He has made a handful of appearances since then.

Partey is not prevented from playing football, but must inform police of any international travel a day in advance, and must not contact the complainants. Partey's appearance in Tuesday night's match - his first on English soil since being charged - had no bearing on the outcome, as Tottenham held on to a 1-0 lead taken just four minutes in..