I must admit that when the first stories about the Tate brothers surfaced years ago I assumed the swirl of online controversy would eventually fade into the background noise of influencer culture. The latest moves by British prosecutors suggest otherwise.
On or around 20 July prosecutors issued 38 new charges against Andrew and Tristan Tate. That brings Andrew’s total in the UK to 42 and Tristan’s to 17. The fresh allegations concern four additional women, taking the overall number of alleged victims in the case to seven. The claimed offences stretch from July 2010 to August 2017.
Andrew Tate now faces seven counts of rape, three of arranging or facilitating trafficking for sexual exploitation, three of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and 19 relating to indecent images of a child and extreme pornography. Tristan faces two counts of rape, one of sexual assault, and three of arranging or facilitating trafficking for sexual exploitation. These are not abstract policy debates; they are specific accusations that speak to the protection of women and, in some counts, of children.
The arrest and extradition battle
US Marshals arrested the brothers in Miami, Florida, on 18 July while they were heading to a bare-knuckle boxing event. They appeared in a US federal court two days later wearing prison uniforms and restraints. Both men deny the charges and are fighting extradition to Britain. A judge has scheduled the next hearing for 27 July.
The Crown Prosecution Service received a further file of evidence from Bedfordshire Police before authorising the new charges. Malcolm McHaffie, head of the Special Crime Division at the CPS, said:
We have decided to prosecute Andrew and Tristan Tate for further offences including rape, arranging or facilitating trafficking for sexual exploitation and offences relating to indecent images of a child. These charging decisions followed receipt of a further file of evidence from Bedfordshire Police and bring the total number of alleged victims in this case to seven. The Crown Prosecution Service reminds everyone that criminal proceedings are active, and that these defendants have the right to a fair trial. It is extremely important that there be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings. The CPS has requested the extradition of the Tates from the US. They have been arrested and await extradition proceedings to the UK.
The reminder about active proceedings and the presumption of innocence is necessary. Yet it is equally necessary to recognise what is at stake. When allegations involve repeated claims of choking women until they lost consciousness before raping them, or the production of indecent images, the rule of law exists precisely to examine such matters without regard to the celebrity or online following of those accused.
