The trial of civil claims against social media influencer Andrew Tate is due to be held months earlier than originally planned after a High Court judge said she was 鈥渧ery keen to get on鈥 with the case.
Four women are suing the former professional kickboxer over allegations of sexual violence, including that he grabbed one by the throat on several occasions in 2015, assaulted her with a belt and pointed a gun at her face.
Tate鈥檚 barristers told an earlier court hearing that there was 鈥渢otal denial of wrongdoing鈥.
In written submissions for a hearing on Wednesday, barristers for the women said that following a preliminary hearing in April this year, a 16-day trial had been listed to start on February 22 2027.
But Mrs Justice Lambert told the court in London that she was 鈥渧ery keen to get on鈥 with the case and that it should be listed sooner, fixing the trial to start on June 22 2026.
The trial could last up to five weeks, with a further preliminary hearing expected to take place at a later date.
She said: 鈥淲e just need to make this happen, really.
鈥淚t is not in anyone鈥檚 interests that this case goes into the long grass of 2027.鈥
Following the short hearing, the four claimants said: 鈥淲e welcome the judge鈥檚 decision to bring our case forward.
鈥淲e鈥檝e already spent years waiting for justice, and so it鈥檚 of some comfort to hear that Andrew Tate will face these allegations in a court earlier than the original plan of 2027.鈥
The hearing in April was told that the case is believed to be a legal first as it will consider whether allegations of coercive control, in a civil context, could amount to intentional infliction of harm.
Judge Richard Armstrong said that the claimants were 鈥渟eeking damages likely to reach six figures鈥.
The women are bringing a civil case against Tate at the High Court after the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to prosecute in 2019.
Three of the British accusers were the subject of an investigation by Hertfordshire Constabulary, which was closed in 2019.
In court documents, one woman suing Tate claimed he 鈥渨ould strangle her or grab her by her throat if she spoke back to him or said anything that he did not like鈥 until she told him that she loved him or apologised for whatever he demanded at the time鈥.
She said he, and his brother Tristan Tate, 鈥減layed good cop and bad cop to manipulate her鈥, and that Tate allegedly put her in a headlock or whipped her with a belt if she did not get out of bed and do work for his webcam business.
The documents also allege Tate 鈥渉ad weapons, including firearms, which were often pointed at her鈥 and that he had 鈥渋ndicated to her that he would like to kill someone if he could鈥.
Tate said that her account was 鈥渇abrication鈥 and a 鈥減ack of lies鈥, and has previously described the allegations as 鈥渦nproven and untested鈥.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Tate previously said: 鈥淗e denies ever threatening anyone with a firearm, engaging in non-consensual acts or subjecting any individual to physical or psychological harm.
鈥淭hese are civil claims, brought years after the alleged events and following a CPS decision not to pursue criminal charges.
鈥淚t is deeply troubling that such graphic and one-sided accounts are being publicised before any judicial assessment has taken place.鈥
The statement added: 鈥淢r Tate will defend himself vigorously and remains confident the truth will prevail.鈥