Tottenham Supporters Taunt Thomas Partey With Aggressive Chant Ahead of Court Hearing
- Tottenham fans seemed to have delivered their own verdict on Ghana's Thomas Partey long before his second court appearance
- The Premier League side’s supporters hurled fierce chants at the Ghanaian midfielder during Spurs’ Champions League clash with Villarreal
- Partey is scheduled to return to the Southwark Crown Court in London on September 17 for his hearing, which has already been postponed twice
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Tottenham Hotspur fans made their feelings clear when Thomas Partey stepped onto the pitch at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on September 16.
The Ghanaian midfielder, now with Villarreal, was greeted with loud jeers and chants that followed his every move during the Champions League clash.
Source: Getty Images
Tottenham fans 'judge' Partey before court hearing
Introduced in the 78th minute for Pape Gueye, Partey was immediately singled out by the home supporters.
Every touch he made drew a chorus of boos, and at one point, the crowd broke into a chant: “Thomas Partey, we know what you are.”
The atmosphere suggested fans had already delivered their own judgment, regardless of the ongoing court proceedings against him.
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The 32-year-old is facing five counts of forced coupling involving two women and one charge of sexual assault against a third.
The alleged incidents are said to have happened between 2021 and 2022, during his time at Arsenal. He denies all accusations.
Partey’s first court hearing took place in August, at which he was granted conditional bail.
Under the terms, he must inform police of any international travel 24 hours before departure and is barred from contacting the complainants, according to the BBC.
The conditions do not prevent him from playing, which allowed him to complete his summer switch to the Castellon club just two days after leaving court.
Source: Getty Images
Despite the hostile atmosphere in London, Partey kept his focus. In just over ten minutes on the pitch, he completed six of nine passes, created one chance, and recorded nine touches. Sofascore rated his performance at 6.5.
His next appearance will not be on the field but in court. Partey is due at Southwark Crown Court on September 17 for a plea hearing.
His lawyer, Jenny Wiltshire, has maintained her client’s innocence, saying he “welcomes the opportunity to finally clear his name.”
Partey facing lengthy jail time if found guilty
Meanwhile, Ghanaian lawyer Kofi Ampah has warned that Partey could be staring at a heavy prison term if convicted of the sexual offence charges levelled against him.
“Legal consequences could be severe because we are talking about forced coupling and sexual assault here with multiple victims. So under the Sexual Offences Act in the UK, the punishment for forced coupling can be as severe as life imprisonment,” he explained.
“For sexual assault, we are talking about imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years.”
Ampah stressed, however, that despite the seriousness of the charges, the legal process must remain fair and unbiased.
Villarreal star warned Partey
Ahead of the game, YEN.com.gh reported that Villarreal defender Juan Foyth cautioned Thomas Partey to brace himself for a cold reception in Tuesday night’s UEFA Champions League opener against Tottenham Hotspur.
Foyth, who previously played for Spurs before moving to Spain, reiterated that sentiment when quizzed about his teammate.
Proofreading by Omoleye Omoruyi, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
