Rapper Slowthai is cleared of raping two women as house party

Grammy-nominated rapper Slowthai burst into tears today as he was cleared of raping two women at a house party after a gig.

The rapper, whose real name is Tyron Frampton, 29, and his co-accused Alex Blake-Walker, 27, were both found not guilty of three joint charges of rape against two women.

Blake-Walker was also cleared of an additional charge of sexual assault against the second complainant.

The jury at Oxford Crown Court returned the verdicts following a two-week trial during which it was alleged the two defendants assaulted two women in the early hours of September 8, 2021.

The musician burst into tears in the dock as jurors delivered their verdicts.

Judge Ian Pringle KC told the court this case has 'raised a lot of high feelings'.

Relatives and friends of the accused, including Frampton's wife Anne-Marie, sighed with relief as the verdicts were read out, and cheered loudly outside the courtroom. 

Walking out of Oxford Crown Court alongside his wife, Frampton declined to comment on the verdicts. 

Frampton had performed at The Bullingdon music venue in Oxford on the evening of September 7 2021 when he and Walker met the two complainants, one of whom was described during the trial as a 'huge fan' of Slowthai. 

Following the gig, the two complainants went to Frampton's tour bus before heading to their friend's house for a party - with Frampton and Blake-Walker joining the group.

Frampton, Blake-Walker, and the two complainants then went on to the roof of the property, where the women claimed they were raped.

Frampton, of Northampton, and Blake-Walker, of south-east London, both agreed that sexual activity took place with the complainants on the night of the alleged assaults, but told the court that it was consensual.

In his evidence to the jury, the rapper said the allegations brought up against him were 'just not true' and that the women were 'lying'.

Frampton accepted that he and Blake-Walker had 'fist-bumped' at the time but denied this was encouraging each other.

The pair both walked free from the dock after Judge Pringle told them they were able to go.

Frampton secretly married The Voice star Anne-Marie in Las Vegas in July 2022, and the pair have a daughter together named Seven.

He also shares a son with Russian singer and model Katya Kischuk, former member of girl group Serebro. 

The rapper was nominated for best dance recording at the Grammy awards in 2021.

His debut album, Nothing Great About Britain, was nominated for a Mercury prize in 2019 and reached the Top 10.

Two years later his second album, Tyron, got to number one in the UK.

His stage name originates from his childhood nickname – Frampton had a speech impediment which caused him to speak slowly and with a drawl.