British rapper, YouTube personality and television presenter Yung Filly has taken the witness stand in his own defense, strongly denying allegations that he raped and violently assaulted a young woman following a 2024 performance in Perth, Australia.
Watch: Yung Filly takes the witness stand in Perth
Yung Filly denies all 10 charges
Yung Filly, whose legal name is Andres Felipe Valencia Barrientos, is standing trial in the District Court of Western Australia. The 30-year-old has pleaded not guilty to six counts of sexual penetration without consent, three counts of assault occasioning bodily harm and one count alleging that he impeded the woman’s breathing by applying pressure to her neck.
The charges relate to an encounter inside a Perth hotel room in September 2024. Barrientos had performed at Bar1 Nightclub in Hillarys before meeting the woman, who had recently turned 20 and was described in court as a fan of the entertainer.
What to know about the trial
- Yung Filly has pleaded not guilty to every charge.
- The alleged incident occurred after a September 2024 nightclub performance.
- The complainant was 20 at the time and cannot legally be named.
- The prosecution says an initially consensual encounter became non-consensual.
- The defense maintains that the sexual activity was consensual throughout.
- No verdict had been returned at the time of publication.
“The vibes were good,” rapper tells the court
Giving evidence in a confident voice, Barrientos said he was attracted to the woman when she approached him at the nightclub. He told the court that the atmosphere between them remained positive as they traveled with members of his entourage to the InterContinental Hotel in central Perth.
Barrientos said the woman appeared interested in him and was voluntarily participating in the encounter. He denied allegations that she repeatedly told him to stop or said that he was hurting her.
He also denied striking or choking the woman. When questioned about bruises and marks presented to the court, however, Barrientos acknowledged biting her neck, face and breasts during sex. He described the marks as “love bites” and maintained that the woman did not indicate that she was in pain.
Under cross-examination, Barrientos acknowledged that he had not specifically asked for permission before biting the woman. He said he did not recall breaking her skin and denied seeing blood during the encounter.
Prosecution says consent was withdrawn
The prosecution has presented a sharply different account. Jurors heard that the woman initially consented to sexual activity but later became frightened, withdrew her consent and told Barrientos to stop.
The woman testified that Barrientos became violent inside the hotel room. Prosecutors allege that he repeatedly sexually assaulted her while biting, slapping and choking her. Photographs showing bruising, swelling and bite-like marks on her face, neck and breasts were presented during the trial.
A forensic dentist told the court that some of the injuries were likely caused by biting, although the expert could not determine who had inflicted each mark solely from the photographs.
Woman’s phone was taken before entering hotel room
The trial also examined why the woman’s phone was removed before she entered the hotel room. Barrientos testified that one of his security guards took the device as part of what he described as standard privacy procedures for a public figure.
Prosecutor Danielle Clarke challenged that explanation, suggesting that taking the phone left the woman isolated inside an unfamiliar hotel with Barrientos and members of his entourage nearby.
When questioned about an alleged imbalance of power between a celebrity and a young fan, Barrientos told the court that he did not understand what the phrase “power imbalance” meant.
From online personality to recording artist
Born in Colombia and raised in southeast London, Barrientos built a large audience through comedy videos, football content and collaborations with other British online personalities. He later expanded into television and music under the Yung Filly name.
His official YouTube channel has attracted more than 1.8 million subscribers, while his catalog includes songs such as “Long Time,” “Grey,” “Confidence” and “Day to Day.” The Perth case has placed his entertainment career under intense international scrutiny.
Listen to Yung Filly on Spotify
Artist context: “Long Time” official music video
Case moves toward the jury
Following Barrientos’ testimony, the case moved into closing arguments. Prosecutors maintain that what began as consensual sexual activity became a violent and non-consensual encounter after the woman withdrew consent.
The defense has argued that the woman willingly accompanied Barrientos, actively participated in the encounter and did not communicate that she wanted the activity to stop. His attorneys have also challenged portions of her account and questioned whether the evidence proves the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
The jury is expected to receive final legal instructions before beginning deliberations. Raptology will update this report when a verdict or another major development is announced.
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Jose Zamora is a writer and creator from Boston, MA. He has been a music nerd since middle school when he started his record collection. His passion for Hip-hop began when he discovered legends like Nas and Gang Starr and became obsessed with up-and-coming acts like Kendrick Lamar and A$AP Mob.
He is a recently graduated, up-coming journalist, passionate about music and culture. He is always keeping an eye out for the next big thing and is eager to put their talent in the spotlight for others to enjoy. He believes firmly that “Good art deserves to be talked about.”
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