A Romanian court has approved the UK’s request to extradite controversial influencer Andrew Tate today pending an investigation into allegations of sexual aggression.

Tate, 37, and brother Tristan, 35, had been detained last night on the allegations dating back to 2012-15 – which the former’s PR team declared they “categorically” denied.

But the court said it would postpone Tate’s extradition until after Romanian trial proceedings had concluded.

It also ruled the pair should be immediately released from police custody, after having been detained for 24 hours while the court was deciding on making a ruling on UK authorities’ arrest warrant.

Andrew and Tristan Tate had been detained in Romania in June

The brothers were indicted in the country alongside two Romanian women last June for alleged human trafficking, rape and the formation of a criminal gang to sexually exploit women.

Since then, the case has been stuck in the Bucharest court’s preliminary chamber, which has yet to decide whether the trial can start amid severe case backlogs in Romanian courts.

The Tates had been held in police custody pending the criminal investigation between December 2022 and April 2023 – and had been placed under house arrest until August last year – to prevent them leaving Romania or tampering with evidence.

Since last summer, the duo have been under ‘judicial control’ – a lighter measure which requires regular police check-ins, but still keeps them in the country.