Solo 45: Grime artist ‘imprisoned and repeatedly raped four women’, court hears

Performer, real name Andy Anoyke, denies 31 charges against him

Solo 45, centre, performs at Red Bull Culture Clash at the O2 Arena on June 17, 2016 in London (Getty/Red Bull)

A grime artist "imprisoned, physically assaulted and sexually violated and raped four women", a court heard.

Andy Anokye, who performs under the stage name Solo 45, has been charged with 22 counts of rape and five counts of false imprisonment.

The 31-year-old member of the grime collective Boy Better Know, has also been accused of two charges of assault by penetration and two charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He denies all 31 charges against him at Bristol Crown Court.

Prosecuting, Christopher Quinlan QC said Anokye "imprisoned, physically assaulted and sexually violated and raped four women." He added that he had "filmed, for posterity, a great deal of what he did."

None of the four women know each other he said, "yet we say each of them suffered in similar ways at different times at the hands of this defendant."

He added that all four would give evidence during Anokye's trial, which is due to last for five weeks.

Mr Anokye was arrested when one of the women came forward to police with allegations against him, the court heard. His mobile phone and laptop were seized and examined by officers, who contacted three other women.

"What they disclosed to the police is, we say, reflected by the 31 allegations that he now faces," Mr Quinlan said. "He physically assaulted, falsely imprisoned - that is to hold them against their will - and raped each of them repeatedly.

"We say he is a violent and controlling narcissist, a bully, a sadist who derives satisfaction and sexual pleasure from inflicting pain and suffering on women who we allege are his victims."

Mr Quinlan said Anokye was a grime artist and described the genre as "a form of dance music influenced by garage music".

"He was known, or became known, to each of the four women through their knowledge or taste for music of that type," Mr Quinlan said.

"He will assert that the sexual conduct with each of them was at all times consensual and there was never any occasion where he did anything with them or to them to which they were not consenting."

Anokye, of Bristol, denies all the charges against him.

The trial continues.