UK rapper and YouTuber Yung Filly acquitted of rape but convicted of assault
A Western Australian jury has delivered a mixed verdict for the prominent digital creator, highlighting the growing legal and reputational scrutiny facing online stars with mainstream media ties.
UK digital creator Andres Felipe Valencia Barrientos, known professionally as Yung Filly, has been acquitted of rape but convicted of assault following a trial in Western Australia. A jury found the 30-year-old not guilty of three counts of sexual penetration without consent regarding an incident after a 2024 Perth nightclub performance. However, he was found guilty of two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm.
The jury could not reach a decision on three additional rape charges, leaving prosecutors to determine whether to pursue those counts again. Barrientos was cleared of one count of assault occasioning bodily harm and a separate strangulation charge. He will remain on bail until 21 August, when the court will set a sentencing date for the convictions.
The case centered on allegations that Barrientos assaulted a then-20-year-old fan in his hotel room after a show in the coastal suburb of Hillarys. Prosecutors argued the social media star used his "moderate degree of fame" to violate the woman "in the most intrusive way possible". The defence countered that the accuser’s testimony contained "inconsistencies, embellishments and outright lies".
Barrientos admitted to biting the woman, which he described as a "love bite", but denied that she had asked him to stop. The court reviewed photographic evidence of bruising and bite marks on the woman’s face and neck. He also acknowledged that his security guard confiscated the woman’s phone upon entering the hotel, calling it "standard practice" for privacy.
This trial underscores the escalating legal and reputational risks surrounding high-profile digital creators. With 1.8 million YouTube subscribers, three million on TikTok, and 2.4 million on Instagram, Barrientos represents a tier of influencer who regularly crosses over into mainstream broadcasting.
His previous appearances on BBC Three programmes and the celebrity edition of Channel 4’s Bake Off illustrate how European media increasingly relies on online talent to drive engagement. Mixed legal outcomes in such high-profile cases complicate brand safety calculations for networks and advertisers managing creator partnerships.
Barrientos, who was born in Colombia and raised in the UK, wept as the verdicts were delivered, according to local media reports. He had previously been permitted to return to the UK for four months while on bail before travelling back to Australia for the proceedings.
