Rapper Slowthai raped two women at a house party after a gig, along with a friend, a court has been told.
The Grammy-nominated star, whose real name is Tyron Frampton, 29, and his co-accused Alex Blake-Walker, 27, are accused of raping the two women at a flat in Oxford on 8 September, 2021.
Both men deny the charges, and say all sexual activity was with the participation and consent of the women.
Frampton, 29, arrived at Oxford Crown Court for the second day of his trial accompanied by his wife, singer Anne-Marie.
WARNING: Allegations that some readers may find upsetting
The alleged attack is said to have taken place following Frampton’s performance at The Bullingdon music venue in the city, the night before.
Oxford Crown Court heard that one of the complainants – described as a “huge fan” of the rapper – had seen Frampton in a restaurant before the show and after speaking with him had been added to the VIP list.
Heather Stangoe, prosecuting, told the jury that after the gig this complainant met a group of friends – including the second complainant – at Frampton’s tour bus.
Ms Stangoe told the jury the “sole purpose” of Frampton and Blake-Walker going to the house party “was to secure sexual gratification”.
‘High-fiving’ and ‘tag teams’
She said: “It mattered not to them whether the subjects of their attention consented or not. As it happened the two women in this case did not but that did not matter to these two defendants.”
She alleged the women were raped simultaneously at one point, with the defendants said to have “high-fived, discussed ‘tag teams’ and contemplated swapping the girls”.
She went on: “Their behaviour whilst sexually assaulting two females – who they had isolated from their friends – the encouragement and the assistance they gave one another when they became concerned that the females would run away has resulted in them being jointly charged with oral and vaginal rape.”
Ms Stangoe says Frampton met the second complainant, who had not been at the performance, at the Bullingdon Bar, and shared a shot of tequila with her.
She said she “had been drinking for many hours” and had also taken ketamine and cocaine and continued to drink and take drugs until just before the incident.
The prosecution said that although she was intoxicated, rendering her vulnerable, her state did not mean that she was incapable of consenting.
‘No phones, and no boys’
She says the girls declined an invitation to remain on the tour bus and travel to the next tour date in Southampton, and instead went to their friend’s house.
Ms Stangoe says Frampton stipulated that there would be “no phones, and no boys,” before agreeing to attend the party, a restriction she says suggested Frampton and Blake-Walker’s “mindset from the outset”.
The prosecutor said Frampton, Blake-Walker and two other men went with the group of girls to the property. She said the attack took place on a flat roof through a window of the property, and “happened very quickly”.
When the attack was interrupted, after initially being impeded by Blake-Walker holding the window shut, she said: “Frampton immediately jumped from the roof into the garden, ran through and out of the house. Blake-Walker left the property. The other two men also left.”
Ms Stangoe says the incident was reported to the police that night, after which the defendants were arrested and interviewed, denying the charges.
‘The effect of celebrity’
The prosecution alleges Frampton had twice raped one of the complainants while being encouraged by Blake-Walker.
Blake-Walker is accused of raping the other complainant while being encouraged by Frampton.
It is said they both sexually assaulted the woman Frampton is alleged to have raped.
In opening remarks to the jury, Patrick Gibbs KC, representing Frampton, suggested the events that night between his client and one of the complainants were consensual.
He said there was a difference between on the one hand “willingly participating in something which is spontaneous and chaotic and in the excitement of the intoxication of the moment and on the other regretting it afterwards”.
He also said “the effect of celebrity” may have led people to “enthusiastically do things they wouldn’t otherwise do”.
Sheryl Nwosu, representing Blake-Walker, said her client had always denied forcing one of the women to engage in sexual activity, and denied any sexual contact with the woman Frampton is accused of raping.
Frampton, who was nominated for a Grammy in 2021 and a Mercury prize in 2019, was removed from the Glastonbury, Leeds and Reading festival line-up after being charged last year.
The trial – which is expected to last three weeks – continues.
