Bring Tate home to face trial before Dubai boxing stunt, PM urged
Sir Keir Starmer has been urged to seek the extradition of Andrew Tate, the misogynistic influencer wanted in the UK for rape, who is set to appear in a celebrity boxing match in Dubai.
Tate, 39, is fighting the American actor Chase DeMoor, 29 in the “Misfits Mania” heavyweight championship at the 5,000-capacity Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium on Saturday.
Tate is wanted in Bedfordshire on ten criminal charges including rape, assault, human trafficking and controlling prostitution relating to three women. Four women are bringing a civil case against him, alleging rape, sexual assault and coercive control.
The influencer is also awaiting trial in Romania along with his brother, Tristan, for rape and human trafficking linked to their “sex cam business” based in Bucharest.
A ban on international travel was lifted by the Romanian authorities in February. The brothers deny any wrongdoing and Andrew Tate has said the UK prosecution is “politically motivated”.
Dame Priti Patel, the shadow foreign secretary, urged the prime minister to ask the Dubai authorities to extradite Tate.
“The Tate brothers face extremely serious charges and it is time they were brought to face justice in the UK,” she said. “The prime minister must call on the Dubai authorities to arrest them when they visit and extradite them so the proper judicial process can take place.”
Emily Darlington, a Labour MP who is campaigning on behalf of the British alleged victims, said: “It is an affront to justice that the Tate brothers are allowed to roam the world freely, while their alleged victims can’t even go on social media for fear of being harassed and having their locations exposed. We must make sure that the British women who have made allegations against the Tate brothers see their day in court.”
Matt Jury, who represents four British women suing Tate in the High Court, said: “The UK government has a golden opportunity this weekend to have Andrew Tate apprehended in Dubai and finally brought to face trial in the UK.
“We have seen time and again that Labour ministers, for all their tough talk on tackling sexual violence against women, are reluctant to do what is necessary to possibly secure justice for the women who allege they were raped and assaulted by Tate.”
Tate’s fight is being promoted by the Dubai government’s tourism board, which is advertising tickets from about £200 to £1,900.
The UK obtained a European arrest warrant in March last year on charges of rape and human trafficking between 2012 and 2015. A Bucharest court said the warrant could not be enforced until the conclusion of the proceedings in Romania.
An offer by the US to extradite Tate when he was visiting Florida in March was not accepted by the Home Office.
A spokesman for the Tate brothers has previously said: “[They] wish to reaffirm their respect for the Romanian judicial system and its commitment to due process, which they have consistently supported throughout the duration of their case.”