British rapper Slowthai, real name Tyron Frampton, was cleared of two counts of rape in Oxford Crown Court on December 16th, but there’s far more to the topic than meets the eye.
In 2021, after a concert at Oxford’s The Bullingdon venue, Slowthai accepted an invite to an afterparty by a group of women. There, he says he had a sexual encounter with one of the women but claims it was entirely consensual.
“She was the one who initiated oral sex. If there was a point where she didn’t want to give me oral sex, she would have stopped.” (via BBC).
Frampton’s friend, Alex Blake-Walker, was present and also accused of rape, with an additional charge of sexual assault. The two victims said the pair “encouraged each other.” Frampton and Blake-Weller deny this. They admitted to fist bumping but claimed it was purely due to their excitement at what was happening.
After over ten hours of deliberation, the jury found Frampton and Blake-Weller not guilty on all charges. Upon hearing the verdict, Frampton reportedly started crying. The judge acknowledged that the case had “raised a lot of high feelings” when announcing the two men could walk home free. The rapper’s wife, British popstar and songwriter Anne-Marie was present to support him. Outside the court, cheers could be heard from Frampton and Blake-Weller’s family and friends.
However, reactions online were mixed. This case has been up in the air for three years, and Slowthai’s radio silence led many to believe he was guilty. In his now-deleted initial Instagram post regarding the charges, he told fans he would “apply his energy to ensure that [the case] is concluded swiftly and justly”. Despite his claim of innocence, he was removed as an act for two major British music festivals, Glastonbury and Readding.
One fan celebrated the verdict, praising Slowthai for “keeping quiet, handling it professionally and not victim blaming.” Many fans echo the same sentiment.
Others were quick to call out the shortcomings of the British justice system. One observer points out that the jury was not equal. Eight men and four women heard the case, Another highlights the low prosecution rates for rapists in Britain.
Many agree that the trial wasn’t as fair as possible. According to official government data, less than 1 percent of accused rapists in England and Wales are convicted. Notably, there is no financial incentive to pursue a criminal case as a victim in the UK.
Slowthai has yet to make a public statement acknowledging his victory. The Grammy-award nominated rapper has been offline since the charges were first pressed. The only communication fans have received from him since he deleted his social media profiles was an album released in 2023 titled Ugly
Blake-Weller was starting a career as a musician and actor before the alleged crimes took place. He has not made a public comment since evading conviction, either.
Published: Dec 17, 2024 08:36 am