British rapper and YouTuber Yung Filly, whose real name is Andres Felipe Valencia Barrientos, testified in his own trial on Monday, insisting that the 'vibes were good' as he denied violently raping a woman in a Perth hotel room. The 30-year-old pleaded not guilty to six counts of sexual penetration without consent, three counts of assault occasioning bodily harm, and one count of strangulation.
Alleged Encounter in Hillarys
Barrientos told the District Court of Western Australia that he 'fancied' the then-20-year-old woman when they met at Bar1 in Hillarys, a coastal suburb of Perth. He said they chatted in the VIP area after she leaned over a barrier. 'The vibes were good, and she had a really good energy about her,' he testified.
The alleged victim previously told the court that the rapper had plied her with tequila shots and put his hands down her trousers. Barrientos denied touching her inappropriately but admitted putting his hand on her waist, saying drinks were given by the bar manager.
Leaving the Venue and Hotel Incident
At around 3am local time, the pair left the venue. According to the court, Barrientos's security guard took the woman's phone as they drove to the Intercontinental Hotel. Barrientos described this as 'standard practice' to protect privacy. He then took her to room 217, claiming they had consensual sex. 'The sex was great,' he said, as reported by the Daily Mail.
The prosecution alleges that Barrientos turned violent during intercourse and did not stop when the woman withdrew consent and began to cry. In court, Barrientos denied choking or slapping her but admitted biting her, calling it a 'love bite'.
Injuries and Previous Bail
The woman suffered extensive bruising to her face and neck, as well as a bite wound on her right breast that required a tetanus shot. The jury was shown images of her injuries. Barrientos, who has 1.8 million YouTube subscribers and presented BBC Three shows, had been on bail and was allowed to return to the UK for four months in September before returning to Australia for trial. The trial continues.
