Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Lifestyle
Roisin O'Connor

Yung Filly: Rapper and YouTube star arrested and charged with rape in Australia

Instagram/Yung Filly

Your support helps us to tell the story

This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.

The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.

Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.

Popular UK rapper and YouTuber Yung Filly has been arrested on rape and assault charges in Australia.

The internet personality born Andres Felipe Valencia Barrientos, 29, appeared in Perth Magistrates Court on Thursday (9 October) charged with three counts of assault occasioning bodily harm and four counts of sexual penetration without consent.

He has also been charged with one count of impeding another person’s breathing or circulation by applying pressure to the neck.

Mr Barrientos is currently on tour in Australia. The alleged assault of a woman in her twenties took place on 28 September in a Perth hotel room, after a performance at the nightclub Bar120 on 27 September.

He was arrested in Brisbane and extradited to Perth on Wednesday (8 October). He remains in custody.

ABC Australia reports that Mr Barrientos is being represented by Perth barrister Seamus Rafferty SC.

Yung Filly is accused of raping a woman in her twenties in a hotel room in Australia
Yung Filly is accused of raping a woman in her twenties in a hotel room in Australia (Instagram/Yung Filly)

His application for bail was opposed by police prosecutor Julius Depetro.

Photos of the woman’s injuries allegedly caused by Mr Barrientos were provided to the magistrate by the prosecution, who said: “No ordinary person can consent in these circumstances.

“Across her body is a history of violent acts… We say these photos and what is alleged is beyond the pale, beyond what could be considered to be a consensual act.”

The Independent has contacted Mr Barrientos’s UK representative for comment.

Rapper Yung Filly was arrested in Perth, Australia
Rapper Yung Filly was arrested in Perth, Australia (Instagram/Yung Filly)

Born in Cali, Colombia, Mr Barrientos moved to the UK with his family as a child, first to Orpington in Bromley and then to south-east London, where he took an interest in the local grime scene.

He rose to fame in 2017 after he began releasing songs online, at the same time growing a huge online fanbase through his YouTube channel, which has 1.4 million subscribers and a total of around 120 million views since he joined in 2013.

Among his most notable releases are 2020’s “Confidence” featuring fellow rappers Chunkz and Geko, 2022’s “Day to Day” with grime veteran Chip, and his collaboration with Brit Award-winning star Aitch on “Grey”, which was released earlier this year.

In recent years, he has also hosted a number of shows including Yung Filly’s Celeb Lock-in and Hot Property on the BBC; he appeared on Channel 4’s The Great Celebrity Bake Off in 2022.

He is a fan of Crystal Palace FC and took part in the charity game Soccer Aid in 2020.

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)

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.