Yung Filly appears in court in Australia charged over 'hotel rape

by · Mail Online

British YouTuber Yung Filly has appeared in court in Australia charged with allegedly raping a woman in a hotel.

The 29-year-old, real name Andres Felipe Valencia Barrientos, is accused of sexually assaulting a woman in her 20s on September 28 after a performance at Bar1 Nightclub in Perth.

Barrientos has been ordered to remain in the country until December for a further hearing. 

He had been due to return to the UK and appear at a music event in Essex on October 25, but this was called off earlier today. 

The 'freshers' takeover' music night at Trilogy Nightclub in Colchester was due see Barrientos appear alongside several other 'special guests'.

Yung Filly, real name Andres Felipe Valencia Barrientos, was arrested in Australia on Wednesday on suspicion of rape
  He embarked on a music career and had released a single in the weeks before his arrest in Australia
Sex assault squad detectives extradited Barrientos (right) from Brisbane to Perth on Wednesday
He had been due to return to the UK and appear at a freshers event later on October 25, but this was called off earlier today

But today a spokesman for the venue told MailOnline: 'We cancelled the event this morning as soon as we heard of his arrest. Ticket buyers will be issued refunds by the promoter.' 

Barrientos has been charged with four counts of sexual penetration without consent, three counts of assault, and one count of impeding a person's normal breathing or circulation by applying pressure to their neck. 

Police prosecutor Julius Depetro opposed his release from custody during a hearing today at Perth Magistrates Court, arguing there was an 'extremely strong' prosecution case supported by CCTV and photo evidence.

Mr Depetro told the court that Barrientos' fame that regular bail conditions would not be enough. 

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'This has already made headlines,' ABC News reported him as saying. 

'Given nature of social media, nature of people jumping on bandwagons, given the nature of (the) power imbalance between the parties.'

Mr Depetro suggested Barrientos' wealth was a relevant factor in the decision whether to grant him bail. 

'There is no guarantee given [his] significant means we will be able to bring him back to face these charges,' he told the court. 

The prosecutor showed photos to the magistrate - which were not provided to the court - that he claimed went to the question of consent.

Referring to the photos, he said 'no ordinary person can consent in those circumstances'.

'Across her body is a history of violent acts, … we say those photos and what is alleged is beyond the pale, beyond what could be considered to be a consensual act,' the barrister added. 

Representing Barrientos, Seamus Rafferty said that if bail was not granted his client could have to spend up to two years at Hakea prison, a notorious jail in Perth. 

He also argued against the prosecution's application to ban him from posting online, saying this was 'entirely unrealistic' in the 'modern age'.  

 Barrientos has  worked with several fashion brands, including recent collaborations with ASOS and Perplex

Barrientos  was granted bail with a series of conditions, including a ban on contacting his victim or posting on social media about the case. 

He must also remain in Western Australia, report daily to police and put up a personal $100,000 (£52,000) cash surety.

Yung Filly is among the legions of 'content creators' who have made a name for themselves by amassing huge followings online and made money from video ad revenue and brand collaborations

After leaving school with four GCSEs and trying his hand at working as a broker, he began posting comedy skits online himself and with collaborators - leading to TV presenting jobs and the start of a music career.

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Who is Yung Filly? Colombian refugee rose to fame as £1.5m YouTuber - but now faces rape charge

The online personality - estimated net worth £1.5m - was born in Colombia in 1995 before his family fled the country during the country's decades-long civil war, moving to Lewisham, south-east London when he was just two, living above a chicken shop.

He told Amazon Prime in 2020: 'I'm most proud of the fact that I was a refugee, I'm proud that I had to struggle.

'It makes you appreciate all the little stuff a lot more. I don't think I really took in how poor we were.'

He was single-handedly raised by his mother Maria - who he has since provided for off the back of his success.

He left school and became a broker at the age of 17, boasting in one interview how he was making 'racks' - slang for thousands of pounds.

'Bro, I was 17 making like seven to ten racks (thousands of pounds). I was good,' he told YouTube channel Yiannimize.

'But I wasn't good, because I didn't give my mum a penny so I'm a wasteman really.'

He then joined YouTube in November 2013 after a video about his ex cheating on him went viral with millions of views on Facebook.

Barrientos pictured on The Great Celebrity Bake Off in 2022

Videos saw him creating comedy skits and hosting 'awkward' question and answer sessions with members of the public in London.

Filly then joined up with The Wall of Comedy group of burgeoning internet stars and, around the same time, began pursuing his music career, releasing singles Take Time, La Paila and Mucho Mas across 2017 and 2018.

His presence on camera led to presenting jobs with BBC Three - the corporation's hotbed for new young talent - on dating show Hot Property and Don't Scream, a game show. 

He would also collaborate with rappers Chip (formerly Chipmunk) and Aitch on singles Day to Day and Grey, respectively, and had released a new single, Tempted, shortly before embarking on the Australia tour.