Rapper Yung Filly Testifies in Australian Sexual Assault Trial Over Alleged Hotel Attack
British entertainer Andres Felipe Valencia Barrientos told a Perth court that interactions with his accuser were positive before the alleged assault. The artist faces ten charges including sexual penetration without consent and strangulation following a 2024 performance.
Andres Felipe Valencia Barrientos, the British rapper and social media personality known as Yung Filly, took the witness stand at the District Court of Western Australia on Monday to defend himself against multiple sexual assault allegations. The 30-year-old artist, who rose to prominence through the YouTube collective Beta Squad and various BBC programs, is fighting ten charges stemming from an encounter in Perth following his September 2024 concert.
Disputed Interactions at Hillarys Performance
The prosecution alleges that Barrientos assaulted a 20-year-old woman in his hotel room after meeting her during a performance in the coastal suburb of Hillarys. Addressing the court a week into his trial, Barrientos maintained that he initially took an interest in the woman while he was in the VIP section and she was positioned near a barrier in the general audience area. While he admitted to placing a hand on her waist during their introduction, he categorically denied allegations of inappropriate touching or physical violation at the venue.
According to the defendant, his security detail confiscated the woman's mobile phone upon arrival at the hotel. Barrientos described this as a standard privacy measure common for public figures, rather than a coercive tactic. He characterized the atmosphere between them as positive throughout the evening, stating that the "vibes were good" as they entered his accommodation.
The Nature of the Charges
The legal proceedings center on a shift in the encounter that the prosecution claims turned violent. The current indictment includes:
- Six counts of sexual penetration without consent
- Three counts of assault occasioning bodily harm
- One count of strangulation
Previous testimony indicated the defense acknowledges consensual sexual activity occurred initially, but the complainant alleges Barrientos subsequently became aggressive and ignored her demands to stop. The rapper, who commands a combined social media following of over 7 million users across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, has pleaded not guilty to every charge.
Barrientos remains on bail throughout the proceedings. Although he was permitted to return to the United Kingdom for a four-month period starting in September, he returned to Western Australia to face the ongoing trial. If convicted, the entertainer faces significant custodial time under Australian law.
Source: BBC — World
