Court hears rapper and friend assaulted two women at after-show
Northampton artist Slowthai is currently on trial in Oxford
Last updated 29th Nov 2024
Grammy-nominated rapper Slowthai and a friend raped two women at a house party after a gig, a court has been told.
The rapper, 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.
Frampton had been performing at The Bullingdon music venue in Oxford on the evening of September 7 2021.
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.
They then headed to the home of one of the friends, which is where the alleged attacks took place.
"The prosecution case is that these two defendants attended a house party," Ms Stangoe told the jury.
"Their sole purpose, the Crown say, in going to that house was to secure sexual gratification.
"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".
"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," she said.
The court heard that Blake-Walker was a friend of Frampton and was part of his entourage for the Oxford gig.
After the show, Frampton went to the adjacent Bullingdon Bar where the second complainant, who had not been at the performance, spotted him.
"He noticed them and came to chat with them, they shared a shot of tequila together," Ms Stangoe said.
"By this time, she had been drinking for many hours. She had also taken ketamine and cocaine.
"She was intoxicated, but she was aware of what was happening and her surroundings. She continued to drink and take drugs until just before the incident.
"The prosecution say that although she was intoxicated, her level of intoxication did not mean that she was incapable of consenting.
"What her intoxication rendered her was vulnerable, more vulnerable than she would have been had she been sober."
After declining an invitation to remain on the tour bus and travel to the next tour date in Southampton, they went to the friend's house.
"Before Mr Frampton agreed to go to the house he insisted no phones, and no boys," Ms Stangoe said.
"The first request seemed reasonable to the girls. He was, after all, a celebrity. No boys - that struck them as odd but nevertheless they agreed to those conditions.
"The prosecution say that the fact Mr Frampton on the bus said 'no boys' is highly significant. What possible reason could he have for stipulating there would be no males at the house?
"The prosecution say that what happened in that house later that night explains the restriction put on and it suggests their mindset from the outset."
The prosecutor said Frampton, Blake-Walker and two other men went with the group of girls to the property.
After a short while the defendants climbed through a window on to a flat roof where they were joined by the two complainants.
"What took place thereafter happened very quickly," Ms Stangoe said.
"The attack was interrupted when the friends came to the window and told the males to leave. Their efforts to access the roof were initially frustrated as Mr Blake-Walker held the window shut.
"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 alleged the two friends of Frampton and Blake-Walker, who remained in the living room, kept the music loud to obscure any noise from the roof.
"The incident was reported to the police that night. In due course the complainants made video recorded statements to the police," she said.
"The defendants were arrested and interviewed. Each made a prepared statement. They denied that they had raped the women, and all sexual activity had been with the participation and consent of the women."
Frampton, of Wellingborough Road, Northampton, and Blake-Walker, of Wallbutton Road, south-east London, deny three joint charges of rape and one of sexual assault against two women.
The prosecution alleges Frampton had twice raped one of the complainants while being encouraged by Blake-Walker.
While 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 despite being "pretty un-gamely" was consensual.
"What is in dispute was whether she consented to what took place, whether she was in fact an enthusiastic participant in what happened, and, separately, whether Mr Frampton believed reasonably that she was consenting during everything that took place.
"The difference on one hand between 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.
"The possibility that regret and shame maybe lead a person to redescribe what happened and their role in it.
"The effect of celebrity, it may, and it will be for you to decide in due course, whether people behave differently for all sorts of reasons when a figure from their screen steps off that screen.
"Whether they may enthusiastically do things they wouldn't otherwise do.
"Consent, believing in consent, celebrity, regret, shame."
Sheryl Nwosu, representing Blake-Walker, said her client had always denied forcing one of the women to engage in sexual activity.
"He said in his very first account to the police that all sexual contact, all sexual acts between he and the woman were consensual," she said.
Ms Nwosu said Blake-Walker denied any sexual contact with the woman Frampton is accused of raping.
"The sexual activity between Mr Frampton and the woman was consensual," she said.
"As for any encouragement from Mr Blake-Walker to his friend to do things non-consensual against any of the women is completely denied."
The rapper arrived at court accompanied by his popstar wife Anne-Marie on Tuesday.
The trial continues.