High Court Judge Orders Andrew Tate Rape Trial to Proceed as Soon as Ready Despite Delays

A High Court judge said Andrew Tate's civil trial for rape and sexual assault allegations will be heard as soon as possible despite further delays.

Four women's claims of sexual violence against Tate were set for trial on June 22. The case was adjourned Wednesday after police reopened a criminal investigation. Mrs Justice Lambert stated: "As soon as this case is ready it will be heard."

Tate, an influencer and self-proclaimed misogynist, denied the allegations in a written defense to the High Court. He called them a "pack of lies" and "gross fabrications."

One civil claim states Tate grabbed a woman by the throat several times in 2015, pointed a gun in her face and assaulted her with a belt.

Hertfordshire Constabulary announced in March it would reinvestigate alleged rape and sexual assault offenses reported between 2014 and 2015. The probe centers on 10 devices with more than a million messages, videos and photos.

The force faces an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct over its handling of the prior inquiry.

Tate's lawyers sought a 12-month stay Tuesday, citing pending police materials and risks to potential criminal proceedings. Mrs Justice Lambert rejected the request Wednesday. She adjourned the case for more details on the police investigation but urged officers to act with urgency.

The judge found Tate's lawyers had "not persuaded me that there is a real risk of serious prejudice." She added that any criminal trial on these allegations would be years away.

The civil trial date remains unclear. Police will update the court at a July hearing, which could set a new start several months later.

Tate faces separate civil and criminal claims in the UK, US and Romania.

Matthew Jury of McCue Jury & Partners, representing the women, said the claimants had "already endured more than a decade of waiting for justice" and "have been let down time and again by the police."

A Tate spokesperson told the BBC in March: "Mr Tate continues to deny all allegations in the strongest possible terms. He will engage with any proper legal process in full, as he has consistently done."