David Walliams investigated by Metropolitan Police over sexual offense c…

The Metropolitan Police confirmed on Friday it has opened a criminal investigation into David Walliams over alleged serious sexual offences, separate from the claims published this week by ITV News and The Guardian.

Metropolitan Police launches separate investigation

In a statement released on Friday, the Met said it had "received a number of allegations of non-recent serious sexual offences involving a man now in his 50s". The force added that "those who have come forward are being supported by specialist officers".

Detective Superintendent Mike Cagney said: "We would encourage anyone who has been the victim of a sexual offence to come forward and speak to us, no matter when it happened. We know reporting allegations of this nature can be daunting, but specialist officers are on hand to provide support, answer questions and guide you through the process."

The police statement explicitly noted that "the allegations are separate from those reported by ITN and The Guardian. However, as part of their investigation, detectives are also proactively reviewing that reporting to establish whether there is any evidence of offences."

Members of the public can provide information by calling 101 and quoting reference number 4900/10NOV26, or by contacting the Complex Sexual Offences Unit on 0207 175 2738.

Walliams denies wrongdoing

Walliams has denied all allegations of wrongdoing. In a letter addressed to journalists working on the ITV and Guardian investigation, he wrote: "Looking back, I realise that at times I behaved thoughtlessly towards other people I had casual sexual relationships with. I realise I did not always take people's feelings properly into account. That is something I regret."

He added: "And whilst a power imbalance is inevitable when one party is famous, abusing that power is something else entirely and it is something that I never did. I am not a sexual predator. I have not broken the law, but I am devastated that some of the women I met 10 to 20 years ago have now expressed hurt or anger towards me."

Allegations made public after failed injunction bid

The Guardian and ITV News published their reports on Tuesday after Walliams lost a legal bid to stop the claims being made public. The high court heard that he had made two attempts to take his own life after The Guardian and ITV News first put the women's allegations to him in May.

Sara Mansoori KC, the barrister representing Walliams, had argued that under human rights laws, the court had an obligation to protect him from acts of self-harm with the injunction. However, high court judge Mr Justice Nicklin ultimately found that the investigation "concerns matters of substantial public interest" and that the court did not have an obligation to Walliams in this case.

A documentary, David Walliams: Power and Silence, was also released by ITV on Tuesday.

Details of the media reports

The Guardian and ITV News reported that several women, who do not know one another, allege they were targets of unwanted sexual advances from Walliams. Some of the women in the investigation accused Walliams of "grooming" them when they were teenagers. One now characterises her alleged encounter with Walliams at 15 years old as a "sexual assault". Walliams strongly denied he had any sexual contact with the girl.

The investigation also claimed Walliams had a sexual relationship with at least one junior employee at publisher HarperCollins, and pursued another. Other women alleged inappropriate behaviour at ITV's Britain's Got Talent, such as inviting girls and young women to his dressing room.

Career background

Walliams shot to fame in the early 2000s with BBC sketch comedy Little Britain, served as a judge on ITV's Britain's Got Talent and launched a best-selling series of children's books. According to TMZ, his talent agency dropped him following the publication of the allegations.

Walliams has not been arrested or charged in connection with the investigation.