A high-profile UK entertainer and rapper has taken the witness stand in an Australian courtroom to push back against serious sexual and physical assault charges laid against him, telling the court that interactions with his accuser were always consensual and friendly.
Andres Felipe Valencia Barrientos, professionally known as Yung Filly, appeared at the District Court of Western Australia on Monday, one week into his ongoing trial. The 30-year-old creator is facing a total of 10 charges: six counts of non-consensual sexual penetration, three counts of assault causing bodily harm, and one count of strangulation. He has entered a firm not guilty plea to every count.
The allegations center on an incident that prosecutors say unfolded in September 2024, shortly after Barrientos performed at a nightclub in Hillarys, a coastal Perth suburb. The accuser, who was 20 years old at the time of the alleged incident, claims she was assaulted by Barrientos in his hotel room after the show. The court previously heard the accuser’s account that the pair first had consensual sexual activity before Barrientos became violent and ignored repeated requests to stop, according to earlier testimony.
Taking the stand on Monday, Barrientos laid out his own version of events, telling the court he had felt a mutual attraction to the woman when they first met at the concert venue. He recalled that he was in the venue’s VIP section, and the woman approached the barrier separating VIP from general admission to speak with him. He admitted to placing a hand on her waist during that initial interaction, but denied any inappropriate touching. Under questioning, he explicitly refuted the accuser’s claims that he touched her breast and digitally penetrated her without consent at the venue.
When the pair moved to his hotel after the performance, Barrientos told the court, the atmosphere between them remained entirely positive. “The vibes were good,” he told the court, repeating the phrase that has become a focal point of his testimony. Addressing the detail that his security team confiscated the woman’s phone upon entry to the hotel, Barrientos called the move a standard operating procedure for him when meeting fans privately, implemented to protect his personal privacy.
Beyond his music career, Barrientos has built a massive following through digital content and mainstream UK media. He is a prominent member of the popular YouTube creator collective Beta Squad, has appeared on Channel 4’s celebrity edition of *The Great British Bake Off*, and hosted original series for BBC Three. Across his social media platforms, he boasts a combined audience of more than 7 million followers: 1.8 million on YouTube, 3 million on TikTok, and 2.4 million on Instagram.
Following his charging in the case, Barrientos was released on bail. He was granted permission to return to his home in the UK shortly after his initial court appearance, where he remained for four months before traveling back to Western Australia to appear for the start of his trial. The trial is ongoing as the court hears evidence from both sides.