Yung Filly, or Andres Felipe Valencia Barrientos, is on trial in Australia for assaulting and raping a fan in a Perth hotel room after one of his concerts.
The high-stakes case has received international attention because of the social media star’s popularity and now is on its way to the end, and a jury will determine the outcome after hearing evidence from both the prosecution and the defense.
The charges stem from an alleged incident in September 2024 after Yung Filly performed at a concert in Perth, Western Australia. The influencer sexually assaulted a 20-year-old woman in his hotel room after the show, prosecutors said. Barrientos pleaded not guilty to rape, assault occasioning bodily harm, and choking.
During the trial, the complainant presented emotional testimony in court that Yung Filly had aggressively assaulted her when she approached him after the concert to ask to go to his hotel room. It was consensual at first, she said, but she withdrew her consent again and again during the encounter.
The prosecution claimed that despite her protestations to the contrary, the assault continued, and she was left with visible injuries.
Prosecutors presented photographs showing bruises and bite marks that they say support the woman's account. They said the injuries, as well as testimony from witnesses during the investigation, demonstrate the sexual activity was no longer consensual. Barrientos has maintained that he ignored the complainant’s repeated requests for him to stop.
Barrientos has denied all allegations of rape and assault. In evidence, he admitted biting the complainant but claimed the marks were consensual “love bites.”
He said that all aspects of the encounter were consensual and did not use violence or force the woman to have sex.
As for the defense, they have maintained that the prosecution has failed to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt and asked the jury to probe the evidence thoroughly before reaching a verdict. The defense argues the allegations are inconsistent with what happened on the night in question.
The case is now in its closing phase, and lawyers from both sides have made their closing arguments. The judge is expected to give legal guidance to the jury before deliberations begin. There is still no verdict, and the jury is still in the middle of the trial.
Yung Filly rose to fame through comedy videos on YouTube before moving to music, television presenting, and mainstream entertainment in the UK.
Public interest in all these legal proceedings is well received in both Australia and the UK, and many people are very interested.
Under Australian law, Barrientos is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The outcome of one of the most closely watched criminal trials involving a social media personality in recent years will be decided by the jury’s verdict.
