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Arsenal release statement after Thomas Partey is charged with five counts of rape

Samuel Appiah — Sun, 06 Jul 2025 08:30:11 +0000

Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has been charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault.

The Crown Prosecution Service authorised the Metropolitan Police to charge Partey with the offences that are reported to have taken place between 2021 and 2022.

The 32-year-old will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on August 5.

In response to the charges, Partey’s lawyer Jenny Wiltshire said: “Thomas Partey denies all the charges against him.

“He has fully cooperated with the police and the CPS throughout their three-year investigation.

“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.”

Arsenal released a statement to the BBC later on Friday, which read: “The player’s contract ended on June 30. Due to ongoing legal proceedings the club is unable to comment on the case.”

Partey was charged following an investigation which commenced in February 2022.

Police state two charges of rape were related to one woman, three counts of rape were related to a second woman and one count of sexual assault was related to a third woman.

In the police statement, Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, whose team is leading the investigation, said: “Our priority remains providing support to the women who have come forward.

“We would ask anyone who has been impacted by the case, or anyone who has information, to speak with our team.”

Jaswant Narwal, the Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS London North, 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.”

Partey was first arrested in July 2022 but was not named at the time and continued to play for Arsenal while investigations remained ongoing.

From the 2022/23 season onwards, Partey made 108 appearances for the Gunners across all competitions.

Of those 108 appearances, 52 came in the 2024/25 campaign.

The defensive midfielder joined Arsenal in October 2020 after they triggered his £45m release clause from Atletico Madrid.

In total, he went on to spend five seasons in north London and made a total of 167 appearances.

Across his five years at the club, Partey scored six goals and registered seven assists.

He was released by the Gunners upon the expiry of his contract on June 30.

Thomas Partey has cooperated fully with investigations – Lawyer

Samuel Appiah — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 20:50:11 +0000

Thomas Partey’s legal representative, Jenny Wiltshire, has stated that the Ghanaian midfielder has fully cooperated with authorities throughout the ongoing investigation into multiple allegations against him.

The 32-year-old, who previously played for Arsenal and Atlético Madrid, is facing five counts of rape and an additional charge of sexual assault, according to the London Metropolitan Police.

In a statement released following the formal charges, Wiltshire emphasized Partey’s cooperation with law enforcement over the last three years.

“Thomas has fully cooperated with the police throughout their three-year investigation,” Wiltshire said in a statement.

“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,” he added.

The alleged incidents are said to have occurred between 2021 and 2022. Partey is scheduled to appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on August 5.

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Photographer jailed 3 years for sexually assaulting actress

Gertrude Okyere — Wed, 13 Apr 2022 14:31:04 +0000

A West End photographer convicted of sexually assaulting an aspiring actress in his studio has been jailed.

Pascal Molliere, 55, from Havant in Hampshire, carried out the attack during an hour-long photography session at a warehouse in Fulham, west London, in July 2010.

Southwark Crown Court heard he locked a door before kissing and groping his victim, then aged 22.

Judge Philip Bartle QC jailed Molliere for three years

Sentencing Molliere – who has previously used the surname Gerrard – Judge Bartle said it was a “clear case of abuse of trust”, which had had a “life-changing” impact on the complainant.

He added: “This would appear to be a case where Mr Molliere exploited his position as a professional photographer to exploit the vulnerability of a trusting young woman, who was also a paying customer, to satisfy his sexual desires,” he said.

The court heard the woman had moved to London to pursue an acting career and had borrowed money from her mother to pay for portfolio images.

‘Skin crawls’

Reading her victim impact statement, the woman said the assault “crushed” her and made her “give up on her dreams”.

“I have nightmares where my skin crawls and I feel physically sick,” she said.

“After it all happened, I felt sick, disgusted with myself. For all these years I have felt guilty and ashamed that I must have done something to make him think it was what I wanted.

“I remember the feeling of fear being locked in that room.”

During the trial, Molliere said what was alleged “absolutely” did not happen and the woman had left his studio seeming “elated”, but a pre-sentence report showed he had since admitted the assault – which he said was “abhorrent” but “spontaneous”.