Andrew and Tristan Tate must face separate extradition hearings, US court rules

Dates have been set in the US for the final extradition hearings of social media influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate, who face rape and sex trafficking charges in the UK.The court in Miami turned down a request by the brothers to have their cases heard together.Andrew Tate’s hearing will be held on November 19 and Tristan’s on November 20, their lawyer said.Opposing the consolidation of the cases, the US government said in a court filing: “Separate hearings are preferred to avoid confusion between the facts and evidence supporting each independent extradition request.”This was supported by magistrate judge Lauren Louis, who ruled: “Given the differences between the extradition requests and the individualised nature of the court’s inquiry, separate hearings will better facilitate the determination of each respondent’s extradition status. Accordingly, the motion to consolidate cases is denied.”Read MoreThe timetable of proceedings came as the Tates launched a legal challenge against their continued detention during the extradition process.The former professional kickboxers, who hold dual US and British citizenship, have been held in custody since their arrest in July.They were detained after further charges were brought against them by UK prosecutors.A bid by the Tates to be freed on bail was rejected last month, but they have now petitioned the court in a fresh attempt to secure their release.Earlier this week, court documents were released which set out the prosecution case against the men.UK investigators allege the pair groomed vulnerable women using a “lover boy” model of exploitation before forcing them into creating online pornography through threats and violence.Andrew Tate, 39, is facing a series of charges in the UK, including 10 counts of rape, three counts of arranging or facilitating trafficking for sexual exploitation and three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.He is also accused of making and distributing indecent images of a child and possessing extreme pornography.Charges levelled against Tristan Tate, 38, include five counts of rape, six counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, three counts of sex trafficking and a sexual assault.They relate to alleged offences between July 2010 and August 2017.Both men deny any wrongdoing.