British rapper Yung Filly pleads not guilty to rape charges in Australia
Internet personality will next appear before Western Australia’s District Court in June
British rapper and YouTuber Yung Filly has pleaded not guilty to multiple sexual assault charges in Western Australia.
The internet personality, real name Andres Felipe Valencia Barrientos, is accused of assaulting a woman in her twenties inside a Perth hotel room in September last year.
The 29-year-old was arrested in Brisbane and extradited to Perth on 9 October, where he was charged with eight offences of assault, rape and strangulation.
On Tuesday (11 March), he appeared before Perth Magistrates’ Court where he told the magistrate that he understood the charges, then pleaded not guilty to three counts of assault, one count of strangulation and four counts of sexual penetration without consent.
News.com.au reported that Mr Barrientos greeted reporters outside the court and commented on the “lovely” weather before getting into a black Mercedes van waiting to pick him up.
He will appear before the state’s higher District Court on 13 June.
During his initial court hearing in October, Mr Barrientos was granted bail with strict conditions and a personal undertaking of AU$100,000 (£52,000), alongside a surety of the same amount.
Born in Cali, Colombia, he moved to the UK with his family as a child, taking an interest in the local grime scene while growing up in southeast London.
He rose to fame in 2017 when he began releasing songs online, at the same time growing a large online fanbase through his YouTube channel.
Among his notable collaborations are “Day to Day” with grime veteran Chip, and “Grey” with Brit Award-winning star Aitch, which was released last year.
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Mr Barrientos has appeared on a number of TV shows, including Channel 4’s The Great Celebrity Bake Off in 2022, and the BBC’s Hot Property.
He has also taken part in Soccer Aid, playing for England, and in a spin-off show of Freeze the Fear with Wim Hof.
In 2021, he won Best Media Personality at the Mobo Awards alongside fellow internet star Chunkz, real name Amin Mohamed.
On 5 December 2024, he pleaded guilty to a reckless driving charge after being clocked driving at more than 96mph on the Roe Highway near the Perth suburb of High Wycombe on 17 November.
Rape Crisis offers support for those affected by rape and sexual abuse. You can call them on 0808 802 9999 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, and 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland, or visit their website at www.rapecrisis.org.uk. If you are in the US, you can call Rainn on 800-656-HOPE (4673)
Additional reporting by Press Association.