Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has been charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, the Crown Prosecution Service announced on Friday.
The charges relate to three women and follow a Metropolitan Police investigation spanning more than three years.
According to the CPS, two counts of rape involve one woman, whilst three counts relate to a second woman. The sexual assault charge concerns a third woman.
The alleged offences are said to have occurred between 2021 and 2022. Partey is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 5 August.
Thomas Partey was reportedly set to get married to Janine Mackson tomorrow
The charges were announced just one day before Partey was reportedly due to marry his fiancée Janine Mackson in Spain on Saturday.
According to reports, the 32-year-old was in Spain on Thursday, though it remains unclear whether the wedding would proceed.
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The announcement came four days after Partey's Arsenal contract expired following unsuccessful negotiations for a new deal.
He had spent five years at the north London club after joining from Atletico Madrid in 2020 for £45 million.
The investigation into Partey began in July 2022 when he was first arrested on suspicion of rape.
Partey became engaged to Mackson, an English model and influencer, in summer 2024. The couple welcomed a daughter earlier that year.
At the end of the 2023-24 season, Partey was seen introducing Mackson and their daughter to Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta after the team narrowly missed out on the Premier League title.
Last month, Mackson posted photographs on Instagram from what appeared to be a bachelorette party in Ibiza.
READ MORE:Thomas Partey charged with rape as police release statement on former Arsenal star
Thomas Partey recently left Arsenal after his contract expiredGettyShe captioned the images "A weekend full of love", with the post receiving a like from Partey.
The couple's relationship had been public since their engagement announcement last year.
Partey's defence lawyer told Sky News: "Thomas Partey denies all the charges against him.
"He has fully cooperated with the police and CPS throughout their three-year investigation.
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Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has been charged by the Metropolitan Police with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assaultGETTY"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."
Jaswant Narwal of the CPS stated: "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."
The CPS warned against any reporting or online commentary that could prejudice the proceedings, emphasising Partey's right to a fair trial.
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