Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey granted conditional bail
The Ghanaian midfielder, 32, has been charged with five counts of rape against two women, as well as a charge of sexual assault against a third woman.
The alleged offences took place between 2021 and 2022, when he was an Arsenal player.
Partey stood with his arms behind his back in the dock at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, wearing a black zip-neck jumper.
He was charged four days after leaving Arsenal when his contract expired at the end of June.
The Metropolitan Police said it first received reports of an allegation of rape in February 2022.
Partey's lawyer Jenny Wiltshire previously said he 'denies all the charges against him', adding he welcomed 'the opportunity to finally clear his name'.
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The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
NWSL says it has ‘no duty of care' for women suing San Diego Wave over assault claims
In a filing last month, the National Women's Soccer League denied all allegations contained in a lawsuit brought by former San Diego Wave employees and called for the suit to be 'dismissed in its entirety,' claiming that the league has 'no duty of care' to the six women suing the club and the league. The 2024 suit contains allegations of sexual assault of an employee by a co-worker while both employed at the club, along with claims of sexual harassment, racial discrimination, disability discrimination, failure to investigate and prevent harassment and discrimination. In the answer to the allegations filed on 8 July to the Superior Court of California in San Diego, the NWSL's legal representatives, Los Angeles firm Arentfox Schiff, deny that the six former Wave employees were 'damaged or harmed' because of any act of the league. The NWSL's lawyers claim 'the doctrine of consent,' inferring that the sexual assault and harassment claims were based on consensual encounters, and also that certain allegations are beyond California's statute of limitations. The NWSL's defense also claims it had no duty of care to San Diego Wave employees as any incidents that occurred were between the individuals and the club – not the league. According to legal experts interviewed by the Guardian, the NWSL's response to the lawsuit is a catch-all answer that aims to cover all possible angles of defense. 'The defendant has simply listed every affirmative defense that could apply to any of the claims,' said Professor David Oppenheimer, clinical professor of law at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. 'The common term for such an answer is 'boilerplate.' The purpose is to preserve any conceivable defense.' An NWSL spokesperson said the league could not comment on pending litigation. Arentfox Schiff did not respond to requests for comment and clarification. The six women who filed the lawsuit include one who claims she was sexually assaulted by a San Diego Wave co-worker, another who claims she was sexually harassed by the same co-worker, and Brittany Alvarado, a former videographer for the Wave, claiming workplace-related violations. Three other women are named in the suit for similar alleged violations. Alvarado brought attention to the workplace environment at San Diego Wave after she posted on social media in 2024 that the 'NWSL must take immediate action to remove Jill Ellis from both the San Diego Wave and the league entirely.' Ellis, the former USWNT head coach, was Wave president at the time of the events alleged in the lawsuit and had a hands-on role in managing the club. Ellis has since departed San Diego to take a senior role at Fifa as its chief football officer. Ellis is not a defendant in the lawsuit but is named within it, described as having 'set an abusive and toxic workplace culture' and 'once asking random men in Kansas City about their penises'. (Ellis has filed a separate defamation suit against Alvarado based on her social media post.) The Guardian previously revealed that a 2024 investigation by the NWSL into San Diego Wave management found that the club's front office 'could have done more' to address a sexual assault allegation but found no specific issue with how the claim was handled because the alleged victim did not use the term 'sexual' when describing her experience. The San Diego Wave is a co-defendant in the case with the NWSL. As reported by the Guardian, Jane Doe 1 alleges that a night out in San Diego with a co-worker led to 'inappropriate activities including a game of 'Sexy Jenga' that led to him pressuring her into non-consensual sexual acts'. Jane Doe 1 alleges that later at her apartment, while she was drunk, she was pressured into 'sexual activity that she explicitly stated she did not consent to'. The NWSL's defense argues that consent was given. Under California law, consent requires an individual to freely give agreement to engage in sexual activity 'and voluntarily and have knowledge of the nature of the act or transaction involved.' Sign up to Moving the Goalposts No topic is too small or too big for us to cover as we deliver a twice-weekly roundup of the wonderful world of women's football after newsletter promotion Another woman, 'Jane Doe 2', alleged in the lawsuit she was sexually harassed by the same San Diego Wave employee who this time sent her non-work related messages and images via Snapchat that became increasingly sexual in nature. Jane Doe 2 claims she was terminated by the club after she did not work the minimum number of shifts in her non-full-time role – shifts that were assigned by the alleged harasser. 'In a negligence case, consent is a potential defense when the plaintiff has agreed to participate in an activity knowing that there are significant risks of harm, and willing to subject themselves to them,' Oppenheimer said. 'The best examples come from sports, but for the athletes … In this case, for the statutory claims under the civil rights laws, there is no defense of consent.' Oppenheimer offered a hypothetical scenario for the NWSL to launch a successful defense: '[The] defendant proves that as each employee was hired they were warned, 'You need to know that this is a toxic workplace. We permit emotional and sexual harassment, we retaliate against people who complain, and we fire people in bad faith. If you don't want to subject yourself to this, don't work here.' That might be enough to defend themselves on the negligent hiring and management claim, but it would subject them to liability on the statutory discrimination claims.' The defense also claims the case should be dismissed because the plaintiffs delayed bringing the lawsuit and that a two-year statute of limitations under California law should be enforced. The earliest claims made in the case took place in mid-2022. The suit was filed in October of 2024. The NWSL's lawyers cite a section of California code of civil procedure stipulating that there is a two-year statute of limitations to sue for 'An action for assault, battery, or injury to, or for the death of, an individual caused by the wrongful act or neglect of another.' California law stipulates elsewhere that there is a 10-year statute of limitations for criminal sexual assault claims (the NWSL case in question is civil). The NWSL claims it cannot be held accountable for events described in the lawsuit because they fall outside the relationship between the league and the Wave. The league claims it did not know the incidents occurred nor should it have known. The former San Diego Wave employees have requested a trial by jury.
Glasgow Times
3 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Fact check: Claims around Britannia hotel in Canary Wharf
Evaluation These claims differ from what the police have said about the events. The police say that people filmed leaving the hotel on mopeds were hotel staff, while the escort was provided to a delivery driver who was delivering to the hotel. Police also said that the ban on protest applies only to a specific group of people and if others want to protest at the hotel lawfully they are allowed. The facts Protests took place outside the Britannia hotel on Sunday amid reports that asylum seekers are set to be housed at the site. Delivery drivers The video of the delivery driver being escorted by police matches images on Google Street View from the site, another video of the event has been shared on social media and the police commented on the video – all of which confirm that the event was indeed filmed at the location in Canary Wharf. The police statement said that the driver was not a resident at the hotel and that there's no evidence they were an illegal worker. 'This person was delivering to the hotel, they were not being accommodated there. There is no evidence to suggest they were working illegally,' the Met Police said. 'They were were surrounded and intimidated by those gathered outside and officers intervened to make sure they got away safely.' A screenshot from another video which showed two people on mopeds trying to leave the hotel matches Street View images from the scene. In response to that the police said: 'The two people leaving were members of staff working at the hotel who were, as with the incident this afternoon, subjected to unacceptable harassment by those waiting outside.' Protesters Videos were circulated online showing police ordering people to leave the area. However, in a statement the Metropolitan Police said that this was for a group which remained 'who were harassing occupants of the hotel and staff'. 'Their actions went well beyond protest to harassment and we used powers under the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 to order that specific group to leave and not return for 28 days. 'If a different group wishes to protest in the vicinity of the hotel they are not banned from doing so, providing they do so lawfully.' Links Post on X (archived post and video) Post on YouTube (archived post and video from separate source) Post on X (archived) First Street View image (archived) Video on Threads (archived) First police post (archived) Post of screenshot from video (archived) Second Street View image (archived) Second police post (archived) Post of video of police asking people to leave (archived post and video) Third police post (archived)
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Waterworld where four-year-old girl died 'had strongest wave pool I've felt', says mother who was there on tragic day
The waterpark where a four-year-old girl died had the 'strongest wave pool' swimmers had ever felt, according to a mother there on the day. Staffordshire Police were called to Waterworld in Stoke-on-Trent on Monday to reports of a girl in a critical condition. The child was rushed to hospital for further treatment but sadly passed away a short while later. Parents of children who had been at the 'lagoon area of the aqua park' where the tragic event took place have since spoken out, sharing their 'heartbreak'. A mother, who took her three children to the waterpark that day told the Telegraph she had never been to one with such a strong wave pool. The parent, who did not wish to be named, had attended with her husband and three children, aged 11, five and three. She described 'struggling to remain' on her feet due to the 'strength' of the current, adding she had used wave pools before but 'never experienced one that forceful'. 'As an adult, I did not feel confident keeping my younger children safe there, and made the decision to remove them. My husband remained with our 11-year-old, who is a strong swimmer, but even he was struggling to stay above water. 'Although lifeguards were positioned at key points, I found it very difficult to maintain visibility of my children in the children's area,' she added. The mother went on to say there had been a 'number of slides and structures' blocking sight lines and that she lost sight of her five-year-old 'several times' while managing her 'three-year-old'. She said her daughter had wandered towards the wave pool on more than one occasion and she had to remind her not to enter the water alone and to stay near the orange and green slides and wait if she could not see her. Another woman described the moment she saw the little girl on the floor and recalled having to leave as her own girl did not want to see it and as her children were 'afraid'. And a different local said the venue had been 'crowded' on the day, adding she thought there were 'not enough lifeguards'. The attendee said they were not sure exactly what had happened but was aware of wave machines that are 'quite choppy' and the need to be a 'strong swimmer'. They added it was a 'complete tragedy'. Another resident said it was 'heartbreaking' while customer Heather Neville, 33, of Stone, Staffordshire, described finding the site closed following the girl's death after she arrived with her two sons. She said it was 'absolutely dreadful' and said she was unsure as to whether she could bring her boys back when the waterpark reopens. The typhoon lagoon wave pool is indicated on a map of the water park - where artificial waves reach heights of 1.4 metres. Toddlers are permitted to go in but only 'strong swimmers' can use the deep end. Non-swimmers are instructed to remain in shallow water, according the company's website. A Waterworld spokesman said: 'It is with great sadness that we learned of this little girl's passing. All our thoughts are with her family and loved ones during these extremely difficult times. Waterworld is working closely with the authorities. 'All other visitors were asked to quietly leave the pool out of respect for the rescue operation under way, and we would like to thank them for their support and collaboration.' West Midlands Ambulance Service stated it received a number of 999 calls to 'Waterworld at 4.20pm on Monday. Two ambulances, a paramedic officer and the Midlands Air Ambulance from Cosford attended the scene. A spokesman for the service said: 'Crews arrived to find Waterworld staff and bystanders performing CPR on a girl who was in a critical condition. 'The ambulance team quickly took over resuscitation efforts to commence advanced life support before conveying the girl by air ambulance to Royal Stoke University Hospital whilst life-saving treatment continued en route. 'Tragically, despite the best efforts of everyone, nothing could be done to save the little girl, and she was confirmed deceased in hospital a short time later. 'Our thoughts are with the family and friends at this truly awful time.' Stoke-on-Trent city council said in a statement on Tuesday: 'The council's environmental health team are working with the police and the privately run venue to undertake a full health and safety investigation.' Steve Watkins, the Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, said: 'This is a terrible tragedy, and our thoughts are with her family and loved ones.'
