David Walliams named in sexual misconduct allegations
High Court judge dismisses comedian's bid to prevent publication of claims made by multiple women.
Incident → evidence → outcomeDavid Walliams has been identified as the celebrity at the centre of a legal dispute concerning allegations of sexual misconduct and grooming. The children's author and comedian had sought an injunction to prevent media organisations from publishing details of a joint investigation by The Guardian and ITV News.
Multiple women have accused Walliams of sexually inappropriate behaviour and grooming, with some allegations involving individuals when they were teenagers. Walliams, 55, denies all allegations, stating, "I am not a sexual predator... I have not broken the law," as reported by The Standard.
Injunction Bid Dismissed
During a two-day hearing in late October, lawyers for the media organisations argued that the allegations concerned Walliams' alleged "abuse of power and status" to contact young women for "inappropriate and exploitative sexual activities." Walliams' legal team requested an injunction to halt publication and broadcast, citing a risk of suicide following two previous attempts. This information was presented to the High Court in London.
On November 3, Mr Justice Nicklin dismissed the injunction bid. However, Walliams was initially granted the right to appeal the decision, meaning his name could not be published. He subsequently missed the deadline on Monday to pursue his case at the Court of Appeal. This failure to appeal has now allowed ITN and Guardian News and Media to publish his name in connection with their investigation.
The allegations mark a significant development in the career of the former Britain's Got Talent judge, who was once considered a major entertainment figure. Following previous claims of harassment towards young women at HarperCollins, he lost his role on the television show and his publishing contract. A spokesperson for Walliams stated in December that he had not been informed of any allegations and was not given an opportunity to respond.
Walliams' barrister informed the court in October that the comedian had "no intention of returning to public life."
Questions this report answers
01What allegations have been made against David Walliams?
Multiple women have accused David Walliams of sexually inappropriate behaviour and grooming. Some of these allegations reportedly involve individuals when they were teenagers. Walliams denies all allegations against him.
02Why did David Walliams seek an injunction?
David Walliams sought an injunction to prevent the broadcast and publication of the allegations due to a stated risk of suicide. His legal team informed the court of two previous suicide attempts.
03What was the outcome of the High Court hearing?
Mr Justice Nicklin dismissed David Walliams' bid for an injunction on November 3. Although he was initially granted the right to appeal, Walliams missed the deadline to take his case to the Court of Appeal.
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