The Metropolitan Police has issued a statement after David Walliams was named as the famous man who failed to obtain a High Court injunction against two media organisations in relation to allegations of sexual misconduct. The force confirmed it has not received any reports of offences but has contacted those behind the investigation.
A three-year joint investigation by ITV News and The Guardian has uncovered multiple allegations of sexual misconduct involving the comedian and author, spanning more than two decades. Walliams denies any wrongdoing.
Investigation and documentary
ITV has released a documentary, David Walliams: Power & Silence, which is due to air tonight at 10.50pm and is already available to watch on YouTube and ITVX. The hour-long documentary details several allegations against Walliams, including a woman who described an encounter with the comedian when she was 15 as 'sexual assault.'
Several other women have accused the TV personality of 'grooming' them when they were teenagers, according to the investigation. One woman alleged that Walliams began contacting her when she was 15, after meeting him at a Little Britain fan event, before beginning a sexual relationship with her when she was 17, ITV News reported.
Police response
The Metropolitan Police said the force was 'aware' of media reports 'in relation to allegations involving a man in his 50s.' A spokesperson told Sky News: "The Met has not received any related reports of sexual assault or any other offences. Should we receive any reports, they will be carefully assessed. Anyone who contacts the police will be supported by specialist officers."
The statement added: "Last week, we contacted the media organisations that were involved in civil proceedings relating to the protection of the identity of that individual, to ensure that any potential victims who they have spoken to could be made aware of how they could report any criminal allegations to police."
Walliams' response
Walliams has admitted behaving 'thoughtlessly' but insisted he was not a 'sexual predator' and that he had not broken the law. In a letter understood to have been sent several months ago by Walliams to journalists working on the ITV News and Guardian investigations, he wrote: "Looking back, I realise that at times I behaved thoughtlessly towards other people I had casual sexual relationships with."
He added: "I realise I did not always take people's feelings properly into account. That is something I regret. 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."
Walliams has yet to respond following the publication of his name on Tuesday.
