Latest news with #NationalSexualAbuseandRedressSupportService
The Advertiser
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Advertiser
Diddy's lawyer says charges 'badly exaggerated'
Sean "Diddy" Combs has been portrayed in his lawyer's closing argument as the victim of an overzealous prosecution that tried to turn the recreational use of drugs and a swinger lifestyle into a racketeering conspiracy that could put the music mogul behind bars for life. Lawyer Marc Angifilo mocked the government's case against Combs and belittled the agents who seized hundreds of bottles of Astroglide lubricant and baby oil at the hip hop impresario's properties. "Way to go, fellas," Agnifilo said as he began a presentation expected to last several hours. He said prosecutors had "badly exaggerated" evidence of the swinger lifestyle and threesomes to combine it with recreational drug use and call it a racketeering conspiracy. "He did not do the things he's charged with. He didn't do racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking," the lawyer said. Agnifilo also called Combs' prosecution a "fake trial" and ridiculed the notion that he engaged in racketeering. "Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me?" Agnifilo asked. "Did any witness get on that witness stand and say yes, I was part of a racketeering enterprise - I engaged in racketeering?" No, Agnifilo argued, telling jurors that those accusations were a figment of the prosecution's imagination. Combs' family, including six of his children and his mother, were in the audience for the closing. All his life Combs has taken care of people, Agnifilo said, including the ex-girlfriend who testified under the pseudonym Jane, whose rent he is paying. "I don't know what Jane is doing today," Agnifilo said. "But she's doing it in a house he's paying for." Referring to lawsuits filed by Combs' accusers, he said: "This isn't about crime. It's about money. This is about money." He noted that Combs' girlfriend of nearly 11 years - Casandra "Cassie" Ventura - sued him in a lawsuit that was settled for $US20 million ($A31 million) in a day in November 2023, triggering a federal probe the following day. "If you had to pick a winner in this whole thing, it's hard not to pick Cassie," Agnifilo said. Cassie and Jane both testified during the trial that they were coerced repeatedly by Combs to perform in drug-fuelled days-long sex marathons with male sex workers while Combs watched and sometimes filmed the encounters. If convicted, Combs could face a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum of life. He did not testify during the trial that is in its seventh week. After Agnifilo completes his closing, Assistant US Attorney Maurene Comey was expected to deliver a rebuttal summation before the judge reads the law to the jury, which is not expected to begin deliberations until Monday. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 Sean "Diddy" Combs has been portrayed in his lawyer's closing argument as the victim of an overzealous prosecution that tried to turn the recreational use of drugs and a swinger lifestyle into a racketeering conspiracy that could put the music mogul behind bars for life. Lawyer Marc Angifilo mocked the government's case against Combs and belittled the agents who seized hundreds of bottles of Astroglide lubricant and baby oil at the hip hop impresario's properties. "Way to go, fellas," Agnifilo said as he began a presentation expected to last several hours. He said prosecutors had "badly exaggerated" evidence of the swinger lifestyle and threesomes to combine it with recreational drug use and call it a racketeering conspiracy. "He did not do the things he's charged with. He didn't do racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking," the lawyer said. Agnifilo also called Combs' prosecution a "fake trial" and ridiculed the notion that he engaged in racketeering. "Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me?" Agnifilo asked. "Did any witness get on that witness stand and say yes, I was part of a racketeering enterprise - I engaged in racketeering?" No, Agnifilo argued, telling jurors that those accusations were a figment of the prosecution's imagination. Combs' family, including six of his children and his mother, were in the audience for the closing. All his life Combs has taken care of people, Agnifilo said, including the ex-girlfriend who testified under the pseudonym Jane, whose rent he is paying. "I don't know what Jane is doing today," Agnifilo said. "But she's doing it in a house he's paying for." Referring to lawsuits filed by Combs' accusers, he said: "This isn't about crime. It's about money. This is about money." He noted that Combs' girlfriend of nearly 11 years - Casandra "Cassie" Ventura - sued him in a lawsuit that was settled for $US20 million ($A31 million) in a day in November 2023, triggering a federal probe the following day. "If you had to pick a winner in this whole thing, it's hard not to pick Cassie," Agnifilo said. Cassie and Jane both testified during the trial that they were coerced repeatedly by Combs to perform in drug-fuelled days-long sex marathons with male sex workers while Combs watched and sometimes filmed the encounters. If convicted, Combs could face a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum of life. He did not testify during the trial that is in its seventh week. After Agnifilo completes his closing, Assistant US Attorney Maurene Comey was expected to deliver a rebuttal summation before the judge reads the law to the jury, which is not expected to begin deliberations until Monday. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 Sean "Diddy" Combs has been portrayed in his lawyer's closing argument as the victim of an overzealous prosecution that tried to turn the recreational use of drugs and a swinger lifestyle into a racketeering conspiracy that could put the music mogul behind bars for life. Lawyer Marc Angifilo mocked the government's case against Combs and belittled the agents who seized hundreds of bottles of Astroglide lubricant and baby oil at the hip hop impresario's properties. "Way to go, fellas," Agnifilo said as he began a presentation expected to last several hours. He said prosecutors had "badly exaggerated" evidence of the swinger lifestyle and threesomes to combine it with recreational drug use and call it a racketeering conspiracy. "He did not do the things he's charged with. He didn't do racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking," the lawyer said. Agnifilo also called Combs' prosecution a "fake trial" and ridiculed the notion that he engaged in racketeering. "Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me?" Agnifilo asked. "Did any witness get on that witness stand and say yes, I was part of a racketeering enterprise - I engaged in racketeering?" No, Agnifilo argued, telling jurors that those accusations were a figment of the prosecution's imagination. Combs' family, including six of his children and his mother, were in the audience for the closing. All his life Combs has taken care of people, Agnifilo said, including the ex-girlfriend who testified under the pseudonym Jane, whose rent he is paying. "I don't know what Jane is doing today," Agnifilo said. "But she's doing it in a house he's paying for." Referring to lawsuits filed by Combs' accusers, he said: "This isn't about crime. It's about money. This is about money." He noted that Combs' girlfriend of nearly 11 years - Casandra "Cassie" Ventura - sued him in a lawsuit that was settled for $US20 million ($A31 million) in a day in November 2023, triggering a federal probe the following day. "If you had to pick a winner in this whole thing, it's hard not to pick Cassie," Agnifilo said. Cassie and Jane both testified during the trial that they were coerced repeatedly by Combs to perform in drug-fuelled days-long sex marathons with male sex workers while Combs watched and sometimes filmed the encounters. If convicted, Combs could face a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum of life. He did not testify during the trial that is in its seventh week. After Agnifilo completes his closing, Assistant US Attorney Maurene Comey was expected to deliver a rebuttal summation before the judge reads the law to the jury, which is not expected to begin deliberations until Monday. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 Sean "Diddy" Combs has been portrayed in his lawyer's closing argument as the victim of an overzealous prosecution that tried to turn the recreational use of drugs and a swinger lifestyle into a racketeering conspiracy that could put the music mogul behind bars for life. Lawyer Marc Angifilo mocked the government's case against Combs and belittled the agents who seized hundreds of bottles of Astroglide lubricant and baby oil at the hip hop impresario's properties. "Way to go, fellas," Agnifilo said as he began a presentation expected to last several hours. He said prosecutors had "badly exaggerated" evidence of the swinger lifestyle and threesomes to combine it with recreational drug use and call it a racketeering conspiracy. "He did not do the things he's charged with. He didn't do racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking," the lawyer said. Agnifilo also called Combs' prosecution a "fake trial" and ridiculed the notion that he engaged in racketeering. "Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me?" Agnifilo asked. "Did any witness get on that witness stand and say yes, I was part of a racketeering enterprise - I engaged in racketeering?" No, Agnifilo argued, telling jurors that those accusations were a figment of the prosecution's imagination. Combs' family, including six of his children and his mother, were in the audience for the closing. All his life Combs has taken care of people, Agnifilo said, including the ex-girlfriend who testified under the pseudonym Jane, whose rent he is paying. "I don't know what Jane is doing today," Agnifilo said. "But she's doing it in a house he's paying for." Referring to lawsuits filed by Combs' accusers, he said: "This isn't about crime. It's about money. This is about money." He noted that Combs' girlfriend of nearly 11 years - Casandra "Cassie" Ventura - sued him in a lawsuit that was settled for $US20 million ($A31 million) in a day in November 2023, triggering a federal probe the following day. "If you had to pick a winner in this whole thing, it's hard not to pick Cassie," Agnifilo said. Cassie and Jane both testified during the trial that they were coerced repeatedly by Combs to perform in drug-fuelled days-long sex marathons with male sex workers while Combs watched and sometimes filmed the encounters. If convicted, Combs could face a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum of life. He did not testify during the trial that is in its seventh week. After Agnifilo completes his closing, Assistant US Attorney Maurene Comey was expected to deliver a rebuttal summation before the judge reads the law to the jury, which is not expected to begin deliberations until Monday. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
Perth Now
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Diddy's lawyer says charges 'badly exaggerated'
Sean "Diddy" Combs has been portrayed in his lawyer's closing argument as the victim of an overzealous prosecution that tried to turn the recreational use of drugs and a swinger lifestyle into a racketeering conspiracy that could put the music mogul behind bars for life. Lawyer Marc Angifilo mocked the government's case against Combs and belittled the agents who seized hundreds of bottles of Astroglide lubricant and baby oil at the hip hop impresario's properties. "Way to go, fellas," Agnifilo said as he began a presentation expected to last several hours. He said prosecutors had "badly exaggerated" evidence of the swinger lifestyle and threesomes to combine it with recreational drug use and call it a racketeering conspiracy. "He did not do the things he's charged with. He didn't do racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking," the lawyer said. Agnifilo also called Combs' prosecution a "fake trial" and ridiculed the notion that he engaged in racketeering. "Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me?" Agnifilo asked. "Did any witness get on that witness stand and say yes, I was part of a racketeering enterprise - I engaged in racketeering?" No, Agnifilo argued, telling jurors that those accusations were a figment of the prosecution's imagination. Combs' family, including six of his children and his mother, were in the audience for the closing. All his life Combs has taken care of people, Agnifilo said, including the ex-girlfriend who testified under the pseudonym Jane, whose rent he is paying. "I don't know what Jane is doing today," Agnifilo said. "But she's doing it in a house he's paying for." Referring to lawsuits filed by Combs' accusers, he said: "This isn't about crime. It's about money. This is about money." He noted that Combs' girlfriend of nearly 11 years - Casandra "Cassie" Ventura - sued him in a lawsuit that was settled for $US20 million ($A31 million) in a day in November 2023, triggering a federal probe the following day. "If you had to pick a winner in this whole thing, it's hard not to pick Cassie," Agnifilo said. Cassie and Jane both testified during the trial that they were coerced repeatedly by Combs to perform in drug-fuelled days-long sex marathons with male sex workers while Combs watched and sometimes filmed the encounters. If convicted, Combs could face a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum of life. He did not testify during the trial that is in its seventh week. After Agnifilo completes his closing, Assistant US Attorney Maurene Comey was expected to deliver a rebuttal summation before the judge reads the law to the jury, which is not expected to begin deliberations until Monday. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Perth Now
Girls targeted as numbers of deepfake images double
Sharing of explicit deepfake images of underage Australians has doubled in the past 18 months, prompting warnings from government and education leaders. Figures released on Friday show complaints to the federal eSafety Commissioner's image-based abuse reporting line have surged, with four out of five cases involving female victims. Commissioner Julie Inman Grant believes the rapid rise in reporting among young people may only reveal part of the problem, warning the numbers did not represent "the whole picture." "Anecdotally, we have heard from school leaders and education sector representatives that deepfake incidents are occurring more frequently, particularly as children are easily able to access and misuse nudify apps in school settings," she said. Deepfakes refer to digitally altered images of a person's face or body and young women and girls are often targeted in a sexual manner. The use of artificial intelligence has made accessibility much easier for perpetrators. "With just one photo, these apps can nudify the image with the power of AI in seconds," Ms Inman Grant warns. "Alarmingly, we have seen these apps used to humiliate, bully and sexually extort children in the school yard and beyond. There have also been reports that some of these images have been traded among school children in exchange for money." It's a deeply concerning trend, Asher Flynn, Associate Professor of Criminology at Monash University, says. She said the situation is complex and stressed that responsibility for addressing the issue does not lie solely with leaders, students, teachers, or parents, but also with major tech companies. "(We need) to hold tech companies and digital platforms more accountable," Dr Flynn told AAP. "We can do this by not allowing advertisement of freely accessible apps that you can use to de-clothe people or to nudify them." She acknowledged that some progress is being made but emphasised the need for clearer and stricter regulations around what can be promoted and accessed online. Educating parents and children to identify and understand the complexity of deepfakes is also vital, Dr Flynn says. "These technologies are available and we can't ignore them," Dr Flynn says. "It's really important to also have that round table conversation, so everyone knows this is what can happen and what the consequences of doing that are for someone." Laws cracking down on the sharing of sexually explicit AI-generated images and deepfakes without consent were recently introduced to federal parliament. Meanwhile, multiple reports have emerged of deepfake images being circulated in schools across the country, including an incident where explicit deepfake images of 50 Melbourne schoolgirls were created and shared online last year. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Advertiser
Kevin Costner's lawyer slams sexual harassment claims
Kevin Costner's lawyer has described of sexual harassment allegation against the actor as "meritless". The Yellowstone actor is being sued by Devyn LaBella, who has claimed she was subjected to a "violent, unscripted, unscheduled rape scene" without notice on set in May 2023 while filming Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2. The 24-year-old stuntwoman's team first filed the lawsuit against Costner and Horizon producers in May and have filed an amended complaint including text messages with the movie's intimacy co-ordinator, and the alleged emotions she felt after the scene. In response, Costner's lawyer Marty Singer told in a statement: "Ms LaBella was doing a rehearsal on an insert shot for a scripted scene. There was no intimacy or anything sexual in the shot. "There was tugging on a dress while she was fully clothed in a dress with long bloomers lying down next to a male actor." The lawyer has also alleged that LaBella - who was a stunt double for series star Ella Hunt - thanked her supervisor for "these wonderful weeks" after finishing work on the Western saga. "Numerous witnesses have contradicted Ms LaBella's meritless claims," Singer said. "We look forward to the swift end of this specious lawsuit.' Court documents obtained by say LaBella was hired as a stunt double for lead actress Ella Hunt and not informed or consented to the added scene, which she alleges caused "permanent trauma". She also claimed the absence of an intimacy co-ordinator during filming. Her suit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, states the scene was not on the call sheet and Hunt refused to perform it, allegedly walking off set. She said Costner directed actor Roger Ivens to perform the assault scene and asked her to stand in without adequate preparation or safeguards. Kevin's lawyer Marty Singer denied the allegations, calling her a "serial accuser" and accusing her of "shakedown tactics". "Kevin always wants to make sure that everyone is comfortable working on his films and takes safety on set very seriously," he said. Her lawyers described the case as "emblematic of what is still a very deep-rooted issue in Hollywood" and "a clear example of male-dominated, sexist Hollywood movie production". 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 Kevin Costner's lawyer has described of sexual harassment allegation against the actor as "meritless". The Yellowstone actor is being sued by Devyn LaBella, who has claimed she was subjected to a "violent, unscripted, unscheduled rape scene" without notice on set in May 2023 while filming Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2. The 24-year-old stuntwoman's team first filed the lawsuit against Costner and Horizon producers in May and have filed an amended complaint including text messages with the movie's intimacy co-ordinator, and the alleged emotions she felt after the scene. In response, Costner's lawyer Marty Singer told in a statement: "Ms LaBella was doing a rehearsal on an insert shot for a scripted scene. There was no intimacy or anything sexual in the shot. "There was tugging on a dress while she was fully clothed in a dress with long bloomers lying down next to a male actor." The lawyer has also alleged that LaBella - who was a stunt double for series star Ella Hunt - thanked her supervisor for "these wonderful weeks" after finishing work on the Western saga. "Numerous witnesses have contradicted Ms LaBella's meritless claims," Singer said. "We look forward to the swift end of this specious lawsuit.' Court documents obtained by say LaBella was hired as a stunt double for lead actress Ella Hunt and not informed or consented to the added scene, which she alleges caused "permanent trauma". She also claimed the absence of an intimacy co-ordinator during filming. Her suit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, states the scene was not on the call sheet and Hunt refused to perform it, allegedly walking off set. She said Costner directed actor Roger Ivens to perform the assault scene and asked her to stand in without adequate preparation or safeguards. Kevin's lawyer Marty Singer denied the allegations, calling her a "serial accuser" and accusing her of "shakedown tactics". "Kevin always wants to make sure that everyone is comfortable working on his films and takes safety on set very seriously," he said. Her lawyers described the case as "emblematic of what is still a very deep-rooted issue in Hollywood" and "a clear example of male-dominated, sexist Hollywood movie production". 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 Kevin Costner's lawyer has described of sexual harassment allegation against the actor as "meritless". The Yellowstone actor is being sued by Devyn LaBella, who has claimed she was subjected to a "violent, unscripted, unscheduled rape scene" without notice on set in May 2023 while filming Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2. The 24-year-old stuntwoman's team first filed the lawsuit against Costner and Horizon producers in May and have filed an amended complaint including text messages with the movie's intimacy co-ordinator, and the alleged emotions she felt after the scene. In response, Costner's lawyer Marty Singer told in a statement: "Ms LaBella was doing a rehearsal on an insert shot for a scripted scene. There was no intimacy or anything sexual in the shot. "There was tugging on a dress while she was fully clothed in a dress with long bloomers lying down next to a male actor." The lawyer has also alleged that LaBella - who was a stunt double for series star Ella Hunt - thanked her supervisor for "these wonderful weeks" after finishing work on the Western saga. "Numerous witnesses have contradicted Ms LaBella's meritless claims," Singer said. "We look forward to the swift end of this specious lawsuit.' Court documents obtained by say LaBella was hired as a stunt double for lead actress Ella Hunt and not informed or consented to the added scene, which she alleges caused "permanent trauma". She also claimed the absence of an intimacy co-ordinator during filming. Her suit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, states the scene was not on the call sheet and Hunt refused to perform it, allegedly walking off set. She said Costner directed actor Roger Ivens to perform the assault scene and asked her to stand in without adequate preparation or safeguards. Kevin's lawyer Marty Singer denied the allegations, calling her a "serial accuser" and accusing her of "shakedown tactics". "Kevin always wants to make sure that everyone is comfortable working on his films and takes safety on set very seriously," he said. Her lawyers described the case as "emblematic of what is still a very deep-rooted issue in Hollywood" and "a clear example of male-dominated, sexist Hollywood movie production". 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 Kevin Costner's lawyer has described of sexual harassment allegation against the actor as "meritless". The Yellowstone actor is being sued by Devyn LaBella, who has claimed she was subjected to a "violent, unscripted, unscheduled rape scene" without notice on set in May 2023 while filming Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2. The 24-year-old stuntwoman's team first filed the lawsuit against Costner and Horizon producers in May and have filed an amended complaint including text messages with the movie's intimacy co-ordinator, and the alleged emotions she felt after the scene. In response, Costner's lawyer Marty Singer told in a statement: "Ms LaBella was doing a rehearsal on an insert shot for a scripted scene. There was no intimacy or anything sexual in the shot. "There was tugging on a dress while she was fully clothed in a dress with long bloomers lying down next to a male actor." The lawyer has also alleged that LaBella - who was a stunt double for series star Ella Hunt - thanked her supervisor for "these wonderful weeks" after finishing work on the Western saga. "Numerous witnesses have contradicted Ms LaBella's meritless claims," Singer said. "We look forward to the swift end of this specious lawsuit.' Court documents obtained by say LaBella was hired as a stunt double for lead actress Ella Hunt and not informed or consented to the added scene, which she alleges caused "permanent trauma". She also claimed the absence of an intimacy co-ordinator during filming. Her suit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, states the scene was not on the call sheet and Hunt refused to perform it, allegedly walking off set. She said Costner directed actor Roger Ivens to perform the assault scene and asked her to stand in without adequate preparation or safeguards. Kevin's lawyer Marty Singer denied the allegations, calling her a "serial accuser" and accusing her of "shakedown tactics". "Kevin always wants to make sure that everyone is comfortable working on his films and takes safety on set very seriously," he said. Her lawyers described the case as "emblematic of what is still a very deep-rooted issue in Hollywood" and "a clear example of male-dominated, sexist Hollywood movie production". 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
The Advertiser
3 days ago
- The Advertiser
Andrew Tate's UK sexual abuse civil trial moved to 2026
Internet personality and self-described misogynist Andrew Tate faces a trial in Britain in 2026 in four women's civil lawsuits for alleged physical and sexual abuse, after the case was brought forward. The four claimants, who have been granted anonymity, allege Tate subjected them to physical or sexual violence between 2013 and 2015. Two say they were in an intimate relationship with Tate, while two worked for his online webcam business. The women's lawyers say in court filings that one woman was threatened with a gun as Tate said, "You're going to do as I say or there'll be hell to pay," while another alleges Tate strangled her until she was unconscious during sex. Tate, 38, denies the allegations and his lawyers say in his written defence that the claims are false and all sexual activity was consensual. During a preliminary hearing at London's High Court on Wednesday, the trial was brought forward to June 2026, having previously been due to start in early 2027. "It's not in anyone's interest that this case goes into the long grass of 2027," judge Christina Lambert said. The claimants' lawyer Anne Studd said that, as well as the four women, there would be a further six to eight witnesses. The four British claimants welcomed the decision. "We've already spent years waiting for justice, and so it's of some comfort to hear that Andrew Tate will face these allegations in a court earlier than the original plan of 2027," they said. Tate did not attend Wednesday's brief hearing and was not required to do so. His lawyers previously said he intends to give evidence in his defence at the trial. Tate and his brother Tristan are under criminal investigation in Romania and face a criminal case in Britain. Their lawyers said in May the pair will return to face those charges once proceedings in Romania conclude. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 Internet personality and self-described misogynist Andrew Tate faces a trial in Britain in 2026 in four women's civil lawsuits for alleged physical and sexual abuse, after the case was brought forward. The four claimants, who have been granted anonymity, allege Tate subjected them to physical or sexual violence between 2013 and 2015. Two say they were in an intimate relationship with Tate, while two worked for his online webcam business. The women's lawyers say in court filings that one woman was threatened with a gun as Tate said, "You're going to do as I say or there'll be hell to pay," while another alleges Tate strangled her until she was unconscious during sex. Tate, 38, denies the allegations and his lawyers say in his written defence that the claims are false and all sexual activity was consensual. During a preliminary hearing at London's High Court on Wednesday, the trial was brought forward to June 2026, having previously been due to start in early 2027. "It's not in anyone's interest that this case goes into the long grass of 2027," judge Christina Lambert said. The claimants' lawyer Anne Studd said that, as well as the four women, there would be a further six to eight witnesses. The four British claimants welcomed the decision. "We've already spent years waiting for justice, and so it's of some comfort to hear that Andrew Tate will face these allegations in a court earlier than the original plan of 2027," they said. Tate did not attend Wednesday's brief hearing and was not required to do so. His lawyers previously said he intends to give evidence in his defence at the trial. Tate and his brother Tristan are under criminal investigation in Romania and face a criminal case in Britain. Their lawyers said in May the pair will return to face those charges once proceedings in Romania conclude. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 Internet personality and self-described misogynist Andrew Tate faces a trial in Britain in 2026 in four women's civil lawsuits for alleged physical and sexual abuse, after the case was brought forward. The four claimants, who have been granted anonymity, allege Tate subjected them to physical or sexual violence between 2013 and 2015. Two say they were in an intimate relationship with Tate, while two worked for his online webcam business. The women's lawyers say in court filings that one woman was threatened with a gun as Tate said, "You're going to do as I say or there'll be hell to pay," while another alleges Tate strangled her until she was unconscious during sex. Tate, 38, denies the allegations and his lawyers say in his written defence that the claims are false and all sexual activity was consensual. During a preliminary hearing at London's High Court on Wednesday, the trial was brought forward to June 2026, having previously been due to start in early 2027. "It's not in anyone's interest that this case goes into the long grass of 2027," judge Christina Lambert said. The claimants' lawyer Anne Studd said that, as well as the four women, there would be a further six to eight witnesses. The four British claimants welcomed the decision. "We've already spent years waiting for justice, and so it's of some comfort to hear that Andrew Tate will face these allegations in a court earlier than the original plan of 2027," they said. Tate did not attend Wednesday's brief hearing and was not required to do so. His lawyers previously said he intends to give evidence in his defence at the trial. Tate and his brother Tristan are under criminal investigation in Romania and face a criminal case in Britain. Their lawyers said in May the pair will return to face those charges once proceedings in Romania conclude. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 Internet personality and self-described misogynist Andrew Tate faces a trial in Britain in 2026 in four women's civil lawsuits for alleged physical and sexual abuse, after the case was brought forward. The four claimants, who have been granted anonymity, allege Tate subjected them to physical or sexual violence between 2013 and 2015. Two say they were in an intimate relationship with Tate, while two worked for his online webcam business. The women's lawyers say in court filings that one woman was threatened with a gun as Tate said, "You're going to do as I say or there'll be hell to pay," while another alleges Tate strangled her until she was unconscious during sex. Tate, 38, denies the allegations and his lawyers say in his written defence that the claims are false and all sexual activity was consensual. During a preliminary hearing at London's High Court on Wednesday, the trial was brought forward to June 2026, having previously been due to start in early 2027. "It's not in anyone's interest that this case goes into the long grass of 2027," judge Christina Lambert said. The claimants' lawyer Anne Studd said that, as well as the four women, there would be a further six to eight witnesses. The four British claimants welcomed the decision. "We've already spent years waiting for justice, and so it's of some comfort to hear that Andrew Tate will face these allegations in a court earlier than the original plan of 2027," they said. Tate did not attend Wednesday's brief hearing and was not required to do so. His lawyers previously said he intends to give evidence in his defence at the trial. Tate and his brother Tristan are under criminal investigation in Romania and face a criminal case in Britain. Their lawyers said in May the pair will return to face those charges once proceedings in Romania conclude. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
