Andrew Tate was arrested in the UK in 2015 on suspicion of sexual assault

Andrew Tate was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault in 2015 while running a webcam business in the UK, it was revealed last night.

The notorious social media influencer, who was arrested in Romania last month as part of a rape and human trafficking probe, has been accused of violently abusing two women who made their claims yesterday.

One of the women claims he raped her while the other claimed he repeatedly strangled them both. Tate denied the allegations in a statement from his Romanian lawyer to Vice last night.

Prosecutors also accused Britain’s justice system of “mishandling” her case, which has released Tate, who has garnered hordes of fans after sharing misogynist content online, to gain worldwide popularity.

Influencer Andrew Tate was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault in 2015 while running a webcam business in the UK, it was revealed last night

At the time of the alleged crimes, Tate was released under investigation and appeared as a contestant in the Big Brother house in 2016 (pictured above).

Tate used “emotional and physical” manipulation while running his Luton-based webcam business in 2015, according to a woman who was 20 at the time.

She told Vice World News how while working £15 an hour shifts for Tate’s webcam business from a “dingy flat in Luton” she was allegedly a regular victim of abuse and was strangled “at least five times”.

She said: “When I saw that he was arrested in Romania, I was shocked and didn’t know how to react. I cried I told the police everything I read [at the time of the complaint].’

The second accuser, who is alleged to have been raped by Tate, added: “I have long been very frustrated with the UK police and court system, who could have stopped him from inflicting the exact same abuse on these women in Romania.

“I hope and pray that he will finally be arrested for his disgusting abuse and crimes against young women and that I can finally exist without having to see and hear the person who has been humiliating and raping me all over the internet.”

The allegations come after the social media influencer was arrested in Romania in December after he claimed he was forcing women he kept in his home to create pornographic online videos for profit.

Andrew Tate and Tristan Tate are escorted by police officers outside the headquarters of the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism in Bucharest on Thursday

The notorious social media influencer, who was arrested in Romania last month as part of a rape and human trafficking probe, has been accused of violently abusing two women who made their claims yesterday

The four suspects were initially held for 24 hours on suspicion of rape, human trafficking and organized crime following raids on his villa and other properties.

Tate, his brother Tristan and the other suspects are said to be held every 30 days while Romanian police continue their investigation.

At the time of the alleged crimes, Tate was released under investigation and appeared as a contestant in the Big Brother house in 2016.

Tate was eventually booted from the Channel 5 reality show, with reports linking his fall to a video shared online that appeared to show the influencer hitting an ex-girlfriend and hitting her with a belt.

However, it has since been claimed that the real reason for Tate’s sacking was the fact that police investigations into sexual abuse came to light.

Aware of the police investigation at the time of Tate’s entry as a contestant, producers told Vice he was “always closely monitored” before being kicked out five days later on June 13, 2016.

But last night it was reported that there were delays in Hertfordshire Police handing the case over to prosecutors. Prosecutors also allege that Herts police “mishandled” their case.

In a statement, a Hertfordshire Police spokesman told Vice: “We acknowledge that there have been some delays in the investigation. This was addressed at the time and excused.

Controversial influencer Andrew Tate was banned from Youtube, Twitter, Facebook, Tiktok and Instagram last year

Before joining the Big Brother house in 2016, Tate had a kickboxing career and trained at a club in Luton

“The case was only closed at the end of 2019 after a file was sent to Crown prosecutors and they made the decision not to press charges.

“All those involved in the investigation were kept informed at this time.”

Chicago-born Tate, whose full name is Emory Andrew Tate III, has been branded the “king of toxic masculinity” for his online diatribes against women – which has brought him notoriety and millions of followers.

Tate, a former professional kickboxer, first rose to prominence when he appeared on reality show Big Brother in 2016, but was banned from the show after a video surfaced online that appeared to show him dating a woman hit with a belt – a clip he claimed had been edited.

Tate’s home in the eastern European nation was also raided on April 11 this year as part of a human trafficking probe.

Following the April raid, reportedly prompted by a complaint lodged by a US citizen at the US embassy in Bucharest, the Tate brothers were held for several hours for questioning but were eventually released as the investigation continued.

Andrew Tate has previously boasted to his followers that “40 per cent” of the reasons he moved to Romania were so that police were less likely to pursue sexual assault allegations against him.

He and his brother Tristan are said to have set up a webcam business in Romania, where young models told sob stories to unsuspecting male viewers.

Although Tate previously said the site was “a total scam,” Tate claims to have made millions from it.