Why was Yung Filly arrested? Here’s what we know

British rapper, YouTuber, and television personality Yung Filly, whose real name is Andrés Felipe Valencia Barrientos, has been arrested and charged with multiple counts of rape and assault in Australia. The 29-year-old entertainer was on tour in the country when the alleged incidents occurred.

Barrientos was arrested in Brisbane and later taken to Perth, where he is accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a hotel room following a nightclub performance on 27 September. He faces four counts of sexual penetration without consent, three counts of assault, and an additional charge of “impeding a person’s normal breathing or circulation by applying pressure to their neck.”

During a magistrate court hearing, prosecutors presented images of the woman’s injuries. Barrientos, who appeared in court, spoke only to confirm his name and acknowledge the charges. The prosecution argued that Barrientos posed a flight risk and might attempt to interfere with witnesses. However, he was granted bail on the condition that he remain in Western Australia, refrain from posting about the case on social media, and have no contact with the alleged victim.

According to ABC Australia, Barrientos’s lawyer questioned the strength of the prosecution’s evidence during the hearing.

Born in Colombia, Barrientos moved to South London as a child, where he launched his broadcasting career on YouTube. His comedic skits gained widespread attention, leading to a presenting role with the BBC. In 2019, he hosted the dating show Hot Property and the following year, he co-hosted the BBC reality gameshow Don’t Scream. His online presence skyrocketed with the advent of TikTok, where he now boasts 3.2 million followers, in addition to 1.8 million subscribers on YouTube.

In addition to his work as a content creator, Yung Filly has pursued a career in music. He first gained recognition as a rapper and singer in 2017, and in 2020, his collaborative single Hold with fellow YouTuber Chunkz reached the UK Top 30. Earlier this year, his track Grey spent nine weeks on the UK charts and garnered 63 million streams on Spotify, where he has over 2 million monthly listeners. He is also known for The Chunkz and Filly Show, a podcast with Chunkz that has garnered a large following.

As the case progresses, Yung Filly has been instructed to comply with bail conditions while he awaits further legal proceedings. The allegations have sparked widespread attention, with the case continuing to develop.