UK rapper Yung Filly was found not guilty of rape in Australia but convicted of assault. Here’s what happened in the high-profile court case.
Yung Filly Cleared of Rape Charges but Convicted of Assault
UK rapper and YouTuber Yung Filly has been found not guilty of raping a woman after a show in Australia. However, the court found him guilty of two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm. The verdict came on Friday after a high-profile trial in Western Australia. The rapper, whose real name is Andres Felipe Valencia Barrientos, cried as the decision was read in court.
The case started after a woman accused him of attacking her in a hotel room after his performance in Hillarys, a suburb of Perth, in 2024. While the jury cleared him of three rape charges, they could not agree on three other rape counts. He was also found not guilty of one assault charge and a strangulation charge. Barrientos will remain on bail until August 21, when the court will decide his sentencing date. Prosecutors will also decide whether to retry the unresolved rape charges.
What Happened in Court?
During the trial, Barrientos admitted he was attracted to the woman after meeting her at the concert venue. He told the court,
“I recall putting my hand on her waist.”
However, he denied touching her breast or putting his hands inside her trousers. He also said the “vibes were good” when they later arrived at his hotel. According to him, his security guard collected the woman’s phone as “standard practice” to protect privacy.
The court heard that both of them first had consensual sex. However, the woman claimed Barrientos later became violent despite her asking him to stop. She accused him of biting, bruising and trying to choke her. Photos showing bruises and bite marks on her face and neck were presented as evidence. Barrientos denied hearing her repeatedly ask him to stop. Still, he admitted biting her several times, saying he only gave her a “love bite.”
What’s Next for Yung Filly?
During closing arguments, prosecutor Danielle Clarke described Barrientos as an “entitled” man with a “moderate degree of fame” who violated the woman “in the most intrusive way possible.” His defence lawyer disagreed and argued that the woman’s story contained “inconsistencies, embellishments and outright lies.”
Yung Filly is popular for his work with the YouTube group Beta Squad. He has also appeared on Channel 4’s Celebrity Bake Off and hosted shows on BBC Three. The 30-year-old has built a huge online audience, with 1.8 million YouTube subscribers, three million TikTok followers and 2.4 million Instagram followers.
Meanwhile, many fans are now waiting to see what prosecutors decide about the unresolved rape charges.
