In brief
In a Western Australia court, Yung Filly – the 30‑year‑old UK rapper and YouTuber – was declared not guilty on all charges of rape after a test fight with a fan at a post‑concert hotel. He was, however, found guilty of two counts of assault causing bodily harm. The hearing followed allegations that the rapper had forced the 20‑year‑old woman to give up her phone and engaged in violent conduct after consensual sex. The jury left three rape charges undecided and decided the case will be re‑examined. Filly remains on bail until a sentencing date is set for August 21.
UK rapper Yung Filly – whose real name is Andres Felipe Valencia Barrientos – was found not guilty of rape after performing at a nightclub in Perth’s coastal suburb of Hillarys in 2024. The Western Australia jury ruled that the 30‑year‑old YouTuber could not be proved to have committed the alleged sexual offences.
The judge listened to testimony that Filly had initially met the 20‑year‑old fan at the concert venue, claiming he “fancied” her and later pressed a hand to her waist in a hotel room. Filly denied any invasive contact beyond consensual acts. Witnesses reported bruises and bite marks; Filly admitted to biting several times, describing the marks as a “love bite.”
While the jury discharged her of all rape accusations, it was guilty on two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm, and the court also found him not guilty on one count of assault and on strangulation. Three other rape charges were left unresolved – the jury could not reach a verdict.
Filly remains on bail until the sentencing hearing set for August 21, when prosecutors will decide whether to press the remaining charges again. The case underscores anxieties about performer‑fan encounters, especially after high‑profile artists have gained enormous online followings.
Filly, who moved from Colombia to the UK and amassed more than one million YouTube subscribers, has appeared on BBC Three and the Channel 4 celebrity Bake Off, and the verdict may impact his future projects and public image. The judge indicated that the next steps will be considered in light of the jury’s “hung” verdicts. Read the full BBC report.
