London police open criminal investigation into David Walliams over sexual offence allegations

London's Metropolitan Police has launched a criminal investigation into children's author and comedian David Walliams over alleged serious sexual offences.

Police investigation

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 said the allegations it was investigating were separate from those reported by ITV News and the Guardian, but detectives are proactively reviewing that reporting to establish whether there is any evidence of offences.

"In recent days, the Met has received a number of allegations of non-recent serious sexual offences involving a man now in his 50s."

Those who have come forward are being supported by specialist officers. Police declined to detail the alleged offences, or where and when they are alleged to have occurred, saying this was to minimise the chances of the people who had complained being identified. Detectives stressed that those making the allegations were entitled to life-long anonymity.

Walliams, 55, has not been arrested and is in a medical facility, according to the Guardian.

Media reports and denial

ITV News and the Guardian reported allegations that Walliams used his fame to groom girls and young women for sex. One woman said she was sexually assaulted by Walliams at his London home when she was 15, while others accused him of grooming them when they were teens.

Walliams has denied the allegations, saying he had not broken any laws and was not a sexual predator.

"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 said in writing to ITV and the Guardian. "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."

He also wrote: "I am not a sexual predator. I have not broken the law."

Consequences

Producers of "Fing!" — an upcoming film based on Walliams' book — said in a statement Tuesday that they had removed his cameo appearance and that Walliams "will have no involvement in the film's release or promotion." He is credited as a co-writer.

U.K. distributor Sky told Variety it was dropping the movie. Angel Studios, the U.S. distributor, did not answer The Associated Press' emailed query about its plans for the film.

Why it matters

The investigation follows a joint inquiry by ITV News and the Guardian, which said they spoke to more than 100 people during a three-year investigation. A judge rejected Walliams' application for a court injunction to prevent the news outlets from identifying him, saying such a legal measure would mean "an exceptionally serious interference" with the rights of the media companies.

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Sources

• abc7chicago.com: David Walliams allegations: London, UK police launch sex offense investigation into children's author and comedian - ABC7 Chicago
• theguardian.com: Police launch investigation into David Walliams over alleged serious sexual offences | UK news | The Guardian
• newscord.org: Met Police Launch Investigation Into David Walliams Over Alleged Serious Sexual Offences: 9 outlets compared | NewsCord
• standard.co.uk: Police launch criminal investigation into David Walliams after fresh allegations | The Standard
• news24.com.au: David Walliams police investigation into sexual offence allegations | News24
• faroutmagazine.co.uk: Police launch investigation into David Walliams

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.