Rapper Slowthai cleared of raping two women during house party

Published

7 months ago

December 16, 2024

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Rapper Slowthai has broken down in court after being cleared of raping two women at a house party following one of his gigs in Oxford three years ago.

The 29-year-old, whose real name is Tyron Frampton, stood trial at Oxford Crown Court alongside his friend Alex Blake-Walker, 27.

Both were cleared of three joint charges of rape against two women, and Blake-Walker was also cleared of an additional charge of sexual assault against the second complainant.

The jury came back with their verdicts after more than 10 hours of deliberation, following a two-week trial in which it was alleged the two defendants assaulted two women in the early hours of 8 September 2021.

The Grammy-nominated rapper burst into tears as jurors delivered their verdicts, while his wife, singer Anne-Marie, sighed in relief.

Judge Ian Pringle KC acknowledged the level of emotion in the courtroom, telling the court this case has “raised a lot of high feelings”.

WARNING: Details some readers may find upsetting

Frampton had performed at The Bullingdon music venue in the city on the evening of 7 September 2021, where he met the two complainants, one of whom the court had heard was a “huge fan” of his.

After the show, the complainants had returned to Frampton’s tour bus, before heading to a friend’s house party, accompanied by Frampton and Blake-Walker.

It was at this house party the women had alleged they were raped on an outside roof.

Frampton and Blake-Walker both agreed that sexual activity took place with the complainants on the night of the alleged assaults, but said 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 Northampton-born performer, 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 court had previously heard that a backlog of cases had caused a delay between Frampton’s arrest and charge, which came when he was in New York for a magazine shoot.

Both Frampton and Blake-Walker walked free from the dock after the judge told them they were able to go. Frampton, who walked from the court with his wife, declined to comment on the verdicts.

Frampton married Anne-Marie in 2022 in Las Vegas. The couple have a 10-month-old daughter. He also has a two-year-old son with his ex-partner, Russian singer and model Katya Kischuk.

Entertainment

Robin Kaye: American Idol TV executive and her husband shot dead inside their Los Angeles home

Published

7 hours ago

July 16, 2025

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Robin Kaye: American Idol TV executive and her husband shot dead inside their Los Angeles home

An American Idol TV executive and her husband have been found dead in their LA home.

Robin Kaye was a music supervisor on the long-running reality TV series.

The bodies of the 70-year-old and her husband Thomas were discovered after officers conducted a welfare check at their home.

Both had died from gunshot wounds.

Detectives say Raymond Boodarian has been arrested in connection with their deaths.

It is alleged the 22-year-old had burgled their property while they were away on 10 July – killing the couple upon their return.

According to Los Angeles Police, there were “no signs of forced entry or trouble” at the property.

Ms Kaye was an industry veteran – and had previously worked on shows including Lip Sync Battle and The Singing Bee, as well as several Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants.

In a statement, an American Idol spokesperson said: “Robin has been a cornerstone of the Idol family since 2009 and was truly loved and respected by all who came in contact with her.

“Robin will remain in our hearts forever and we share our deepest sympathy with her family and friends during this difficult time.”

Entertainment

Action taken to stop ticketless Oasis fans from watching this week’s shows in Manchester

Published

9 hours ago

July 16, 2025

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Action taken to stop ticketless Oasis fans from watching this week's shows in Manchester

Huge steel fences have been erected to prevent ticketless fans from watching the Oasis reunion tour in Manchester.

Liam and Noel Gallagher will resume their sold-out run of shows – their first since 2009 – with a performance at Heaton Park tonight, and two more on Saturday and Sunday.

While tens of thousands bought tickets for Oasis’s first two shows last weekend, crowds gathered to glimpse the large screens above the stage in the distance – in an area dubbed “Gallagher Hill” by some on social media.

Manchester City Council has now said more steel fences have been erected around parts of the park to prevent ticketless fans from watching the gigs, and to protect nature in the park.

“After taking stock of how the first two nights went, additional measures have now been deemed necessary and will be in place for the next three concerts,” it said.

“The erection of the fencing has a dual purpose – both to protect the environment from further damage and to dissuade people from gathering there.

“The necessary measure means the concert will no longer be visible from this area.”

The fences will cover a large area of the hill within the park’s cattle field, which is being developed as a new woodland area with around 300 young trees planted.

The council added that there would be no facilities for people without a ticket, and said the event area is “double-walled with solid high security fencing all the way round”.

More than 2,000 event security staff and police officers will also be on duty around the site “to ensure both the safety and wellbeing of ticket-holders and that only those who have tickets access the concert”, it said.

John Hacking, the council’s executive member for employment, skills and leisure, also said in a statement that “unfortunately our hand has been forced in having to put these additional measures in place”.

He added: “Our advice to music fans who don’t have tickets for the concerts is to head into the city centre instead.

“The whole city is going all out to celebrate and help everyone have a good time.

“We’ve got some fantastic things going on with a real party atmosphere for everyone to enjoy, whether they’ve got tickets for the Oasis gigs or not.”

Entertainment

MasterChef presenter John Torode sacked

Published

15 hours ago

July 15, 2025

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MasterChef presenter John Torode will no longer work on the show after an allegation he used an “extremely offensive racist term” was upheld, the BBC has said.

His co-host Gregg Wallace was also sacked last week after claims of inappropriate behaviour.

On Monday, Torode said an allegation he used racist language was upheld in a report into the behaviour of Wallace. The report found more than half of 83 allegations against Wallace were substantiated.

Torode, 59, insisted he had “absolutely no recollection” of the alleged incident involving him and he “did not believe that it happened,” adding “racial language is wholly unacceptable in any environment”.

In a statement on Tuesday, a BBC spokesperson said the allegation “involves an extremely offensive racist term being used in the workplace”.

The claim was “investigated and substantiated by the independent investigation led by the law firm Lewis Silkin”, they added.

“The BBC takes this upheld finding extremely seriously,” the spokesperson said.

“We will not tolerate racist language of any kind… we told Banijay UK, the makers of MasterChef, that action must be taken.

“John Torode’s contract on MasterChef will not be renewed.”

Australian-born Torode started presenting MasterChef alongside Wallace, 60, in 2005.

A statement from Banijay UK said it “takes this matter incredibly seriously” and Lewis Silkin “substantiated an accusation of highly offensive racist language against John Torode which occurred in 2018”.

“This matter has been formally discussed with John Torode by Banijay UK, and whilst we note that John says he does not recall the incident, Lewis Silkin have upheld the very serious complaint,” the TV production company added.

“Banijay UK and the BBC are agreed that we will not renew his contract on MasterChef.”

Earlier, as the BBC released its annual report, its director-general Tim Davie addressed MasterChef’s future, saying it can survive as it is “much bigger than individuals”.

Speaking to BBC News after Torode was sacked, Mr Davie said a decision is yet to be taken over whether an unseen MasterChef series – filmed with both Wallace and Torode last year – will be aired.

“It’s a difficult one because… those amateur chefs gave a lot to take part – it means a lot, it can be an enormous break if you come through the show,” he added.

“I want to just reflect on that with the team and make a decision, and we’ll communicate that in due course.”

Mr Davie refused to say what the “seriously racist term” Torode was alleged to have used but said: “I certainly think we’ve drawn a line in the sand.”

In 2022, Torode was made an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours, for services to food and charity.