People at a party where Grammy-nominated rapper Slowthai and his friend are alleged to have raped two women after a gig were told that an “orgy” was happening, a court has heard.
The musician, whose real name is Tyron Frampton, 29, and his co-accused Alex Blake-Walker, 27, are on trial at Oxford Crown Court, where they deny three joint charges of rape and one of sexual assault against two women.
Frampton had performed at The Bullingdon music venue in Oxford on the evening of September 7 2021 and the alleged assaults took place later.
Navinder Nangla, Frampton’s friend and a stylist on the rapper’s tour, had been at the party for about 10 minutes, after having smoked a cigarette in the garden, when he heard someone comment about what was allegedly happening upstairs.
Mr Nangla, who was in the living room with other partygoers, told the court: “One girl had said she is a slag and another girl said `there is an orgy happening’. We really did not take much notice of it.”
He added: “There was a lot shouting and screaming. She said this girl is not meant to be here.”
He said he did not know who the orgy comment was related to or in which room in the house it was supposed to have happened.
The jury has previously heard that after the gig, the two complainants went to Frampton’s tour bus before heading to their friend’s house for a party – with Frampton and Blake-Walker joining the group.
Frampton, Blake-Walker and the two complainants then went on to the roof of the property, where it is claimed that the rapes took place.
The prosecution alleges Blake-Walker raped the first complainant while being encouraged by Frampton, and that Frampton twice raped the second complainant while being encouraged by Blake-Walker.
It is said they both sexually assaulted the woman whom Frampton is alleged to have raped. On Monday, Mr Nangla recalled seeing Frampton standing alone on the roof and said he looked “happy, just jolly and having a good time”.
He thinks Frampton just hopped or jumped off the roof as it was not very high.
A burst of shouting and swearing broke out as Mr Nangla made his way to the front door with Frampton. Mr Nangla said: “Some girls (were) shouting, saying `we have lost respect, just go, get out’.”
He described the atmosphere between himself and the accused after they left the house as being “more confused than anything”.
Frampton, of Wellingborough Road, Northampton, and Blake-Walker, of Wallbutton Road, south-east London, deny three joint charges of rape and one of sexual assault against two women.
One of the alleged victims has told the jury she was attacked on the roof of the property after meeting the singer in The Bullingdon bar after the gig.
She said she had broken up with her boyfriend the day before and had gone out socialising with friends, drinking and taking ketamine and cocaine.
Frampton has told the jury that sexual activity had taken place between him and the second complainant, but insisted she had been consenting. He accepted that he and Blake-Walker had “fist-bumped” at the time but denied this was encouraging each other.
On Monday, Adam Royal, a marketing executive in the music industry who counts Frampton as a friend, described the rapper as “lovely, friendly, fun, great to be around and just to be a friend with”.
He said he has “never” seen Frampton behave inappropriately towards any of his fans, including those who are female.
Defence counsel Patrick Gibbs explained that Frampton is accused of rape and also of persevering with sexual contact without consent.
He asked: “Have you ever seen anything like that from him?”
Mr Royal replied he would “not put that association with him”, adding: “No. It is a million miles away from anything I have come to know of him.”
Musician Delilah Gendler, who has known Frampton for seven years, said Frampton treats people in a “respectful manner” and he “takes his craft seriously”.
In a statement that was read to the court, she said: “In all the time I have known Ty I have never seen him overstep the mark. He has never made me feel uncomfortable.”
She said he has never behaved inappropriately to her and she has never seen him be inappropriate to anyone else, adding that “Ty is extremely generous with his time and he has a good heart”.
