Controversial internet figure Andrew Tate will face a groundbreaking civil trial in the United Kingdom in 2027, following serious accusations of physical and sexual abuse from four women. This case is gaining significant attention not just because of Tate’s high-profile persona, but also because it marks the first time allegations of coercive control will be tested in a British civil court.
According to court documents, the four women—whose identities are being protected—claim Tate subjected them to abuse between 2013 and 2015. Two of the claimants were reportedly in intimate relationships with Tate, while the other two worked in his online webcam business, a now-infamous operation that has drawn scrutiny in recent years.
The legal filings describe disturbing scenarios. One woman alleges that Tate threatened her with a firearm, reportedly saying, “You’re going to do as I say or there’ll be hell to pay.” Another accuses Tate of choking her unconscious during sex. The women’s legal team argues that these actions amount to intentional infliction of harm through coercive control—a concept that’s gaining legal traction but has never before been examined in a UK civil court.
Tate, now 38, denies all the allegations. His lawyers claim that all interactions with the women were consensual and that the lawsuits are unfounded. A preliminary hearing took place at the High Court in London on April 15, 2025. Tate did not attend, but his legal team confirmed that he plans to testify in his defense when the trial begins in 2027.
Lawyer Anne Studd, representing the claimants, emphasized that this civil trial is unique. “This will be the first occasion coercive control has been brought before the High Court in a civil context,” she stated. In her filings, Studd described coercive control as a calculated process of manipulation where victims are gradually stripped of their ability to act or think independently—comparable to grooming.
Adding more complexity to the situation, Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan are also under criminal investigation in Romania. Prosecutors there allege the pair formed an organized criminal group involved in human trafficking, sexual exploitation of minors, and money laundering. Both brothers deny those allegations. After a travel ban was lifted earlier this year, they briefly left Romania for the United States, but returned to meet legal obligations in March 2025.
As the 2027 trial approaches, legal analysts and human rights advocates are watching closely. The case could set a precedent for how coercive control is treated in civil law and might influence future lawsuits involving psychological and emotional abuse.
