Four women who claim Andrew Tate ‘coercively controlled them’ through rape, strangulation and gunpoint threats have launched an unprecedented legal case against him.
Tate, 38, is accused of raping three women and assaulting one other in Luton and Hitchin between 2013 and 2015.
Two of the women say they were in relationships with him, while the other two argue their allegations of abuse took place while working for him.
It is understood their case is the first in British legal history where ‘allegations of coercive control’ have been considered in a civil claim.
Anne Studd KC representing the women said: ‘The claim is understood to be the first claim where allegations of coercive control have been considered in a civil context of whether that behaviour can amount to intentional infliction of harm.’
Meanwhile the complainant’s solicitor told a press conference after the hearing, that Tate case would be based on ‘victim shaming’ the women.
Lawyers for the women, also successfully argued that legal costs- set aside for the case- should not include travel expenses for Tate’s lawyers to fly to Romania.
Presiding over the hearing, Master Richard Armstrong said: ‘Why can’t he come here? He traveled to America and Dubai relatively recently. A far more proportionate way would be for the defendant to come and see his legal team.’
Andrew Tate is accused of attacking four women between 2013 and 2015 in Luton and Hitchin
Tate did not attend the hearing at the High Court today but was legally represented
Tate, who is well-known as a social media influencer denies the allegations saying they are ‘gross fabrications’ and is using a team of high-powered lawyers to try to throw the accusations out of court.
According to one of the women he pointed a gun at her shouting ‘you’re going to do as I say or there’ll be hell to pay’.
He is also accused of strangling all four of the women.
Matt Jury, who is the solicitor acting on behalf of the women, told reporters: ‘It is also clear that the defence is going to be seeking to victim shame, minimise the allegations, and deligitimise any of the evidence or expert evidence that is going to be brought in the proceedings.’
Three of the women went to the police about Mr Tate at the time, but in 2019 the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided not to bring criminal charges.
One of the women known as AA says Tate ‘threatened [her] daily’ while she was working for him in 2015.
She says he threatened her on a daily basis and pinned her against the wall by her throat.
While another woman, who is referred to as BB, said the former kick boxer ‘made it very clear that she was ‘his’, and if anyone else spoke to her, he would kill them’.
Andrew Tate has not been convicted of any crimes and denies all allegations against him
The High Court also known as the Royal Courts of Justice where Tate’s case is being heard
She goes on to say in her claim that Tate threatened to physically attack her and she was forced to barricade herself in the bathroom to avoid him.
Tate did not attend the hearing today and is understood to be in America currently.
Ms Studd asked the court for more time to review all possible material the women could want to use in their claims against Tate.
This is likely to include online material which Tate has published.
But Vanessa Marshall KC, representing Tate, argued ‘What we say in relation to that is the issues in this case relate to events, allegations against Mr Tate which go back to 2013, 2014 and 2015.
‘We cannot see see how it is admissible that material Mr Tate has put on the internet maybe ten or 15 years later could be relevant.’
The court heard Tate strongly denies any wrong doing, including describing the allegations against him as a ‘pack of lies’ and repetition of previous press coverage.
