Mercury nominated rapper Slowthai has been cleared of rape.
The 29-year-old musician – real name Tyron Frampton – had been accused of raping a fan at an after-show party in Oxford. He and his co-accused, Alex Blake-Walker, were both found not guilty on three joint counts of rape following a trial at Oxford Crown Court.
The trail heard that Slowthai met a group of women before his show in Oxford, one of whom invited him to a party following the concert. The prosecution had alleged that co-defendant Alex Blake-Walker had raped one woman whilst being encouraged by Mr Frampton; Slowthai was then alleged to have raped a second complainant.
During the trial Mr Frampton accepted that sexual activity had taken place, but that it was consenting – he told the court room “I know she was consenting, there wasn’t a question.”
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Defending Mr Frampton, Patrick Gibbs KC earlier told the court that his client would be “cancelled for the rest of time” no matter the outcome of the trial. In his closing remarks, Gibbs insisted that Slowthai “wasn’t everybody’s stereotype of a rapper”, adding he was a “thoughtful” and “modest” man who “throws himself, sometimes recklessly, into life”.
Slowthai was supported throughout the trial by his wife, the pop singer Anne-Marie.
Judge Ian Pringle KC told court that the case had “raised a lot of high feelings”; both Slowthai and Alex Blake-Walker were found not guilty of all charges. As per BBC, when the verdicts were read out Mr Frampton broke down in tears in the dock.
Slowthai has not yet shared a public statement on the not guilty verdict.
This story is developing and may be updated.
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