Andrew Tate's legal team formally requested written assurances from the Crown Prosecution Service that he would not face arrest if he returned to the United Kingdom to give evidence in a civil case, where four women accuse him of rape. The CPS refused this request, as disclosed during a preliminary hearing in the High Court on Tuesday. This confirms that Tate remains effectively barred from setting foot on British soil without immediate arrest.
The CPS communicated to Tate's lawyers that there was no reason to withdraw existing arrest warrants to facilitate his return for civil proceedings, according to The Guardian. The service made its position unequivocal: if either Andrew or his brother Tristan Tate chose to return to the UK voluntarily, they would be arrested. Matt Jury, a lawyer representing the four women in the civil case, stated in a witness declaration that it now appears extremely unlikely Tate would ever return to Britain voluntarily. He noted that both brothers have already applied to give their evidence remotely from the United States.
Separate Criminal and Civil Cases
The civil case, in which the four women accuse the Tate brothers of rape, coercive control, and assault, is distinct from the criminal charges already filed against them. The CPS charged both brothers last May with 21 criminal offenses, including rape, actual bodily harm, and human trafficking. Andrew faces 10 of those charges, while Tristan faces 11. Both deny all wrongdoing.
The High Court also heard that the Tates are seeking a stay in the civil proceedings, arguing that the civil case as it develops could seriously prejudice their criminal defense. Mrs. Justice Lambert indicated on Tuesday that the June civil trial date would be delayed, with a regrouping planned for July and a more substantive hearing possible before the end of the year.
Reinvestigation of Previous Allegations
A reinvestigation of separate criminal allegations, including rape made in 2015 by three women, will not be restricted to existing evidence and could result in new witnesses and further alleged victims coming forward. The brothers also face criminal proceedings in Romania. They were arrested in December 2022 and charged with human trafficking, rape, and forming an organized criminal group. Romanian prosecutors initially held them in custody before their detention was reduced to house arrest and later to regular police check-ins. Those restrictions were lifted last month, leaving both men free to travel. The CPS has agreed that the brothers will not be extradited to Britain until the Romanian criminal proceedings are concluded. Andrew Tate was in the United States at the time of Tuesday's hearing and was said to intend returning to Romania.
Legal Challenge by Andrew Tate
Andrew Tate is also separately challenging the CPS's decision to bring criminal charges against him in a legal action of his own. The first High Court hearing in that challenge is scheduled for June 23 and relates to a Bedfordshire police investigation known as Operation Moonwalk.
