The trial of British rapper Slowthai, real name Tyron Frampton, and his co-defendant Alex Blake-Walker, is underway at Oxford Crown Court, where they face accusations of rape and sexual assault. The charges stem from an incident following a Slowthai concert at The Bullingdon, an Oxford music venue, on September 7, 2021. The alleged assaults occurred at a house party after the performance. Witnesses at the party reportedly heard shouting and screaming, along with comments suggesting an “orgy” was taking place upstairs. Frampton and Blake-Walker vehemently deny the charges, which involve three counts of joint rape and one count of sexual assault against two women.
The prosecution alleges that after the concert, the two complainants accompanied Frampton to his tour bus before going to a friend’s house for a party, where Frampton and Blake-Walker later joined them. The alleged rapes are said to have occurred on the roof of the property. Specifically, the prosecution claims Blake-Walker raped the first complainant while Frampton encouraged him. They further allege Frampton then raped the second complainant twice, with encouragement from Blake-Walker. Both men are also accused of sexually assaulting the second complainant.
Navinder Nangla, a stylist on Frampton’s tour and a friend of the rapper, testified that he was present at the party and heard comments about an alleged orgy taking place upstairs. He described hearing shouting and screaming, but stated he did not know to whom the orgy comment referred or where in the house it was supposedly happening. Nangla also testified that he saw Frampton on the roof appearing “happy and jolly,” but later witnessed shouting and swearing as he and Frampton left the house, with some women shouting about losing respect.
The first complainant testified that she met Frampton at The Bullingdon bar after the concert and was subsequently assaulted on the roof of the house. She recounted having broken up with her boyfriend the day before and going out partying with friends. Frampton, in his testimony, admitted to sexual activity with the second complainant but insisted it was consensual. He acknowledged a “fist-bump” with Blake-Walker around that time but denied any encouragement of each other in the alleged assaults.
The defense has presented character witnesses to support Frampton’s case. Adam Royal, a marketing executive in the music industry and a friend of Frampton, described the rapper as “lovely, friendly, fun,” and someone he’d never seen behave inappropriately towards fans. He stated the accusations were “a million miles away” from the person he knows. Musician Delilah Gendler, who has known Frampton for seven years, echoed these sentiments, describing Frampton as respectful and dedicated to his craft. She testified that she has never witnessed him behave inappropriately towards anyone.
Frampton’s defense centers on the claim that the sexual activity with the second complainant was consensual. He denies encouraging or participating in any non-consensual acts. The trial continues, with the jury tasked with weighing the evidence and testimonies presented by both the prosecution and the defense to determine the veracity of the serious allegations against Frampton and Blake-Walker. The outcome of the trial will significantly impact the future of Slowthai’s career and personal life.
