Police launch investigation into David Walliams over alleged serious sexual offences

David Walliams has denied any wrongdoing.

for Mediterrane Film Festival Police launch investigation into David Walliams over alleged serious sexual offences Met police say allegations are separate from those made by multiple women in Guardian and ITV investigation The Metropolitan police have launched a criminal investigation into David Walliams over alleged serious sexual offences.

Walliams, 55, was accused in reports by ITV and the Guardian this week of using his power and celebrity status to prey on young women and teenagers for sex.

He has denied any wrongdoing, being a sexual predator or breaking the law.

The Met said the allegations it was investigating were separate to those reported by the Guardian and ITV but as “part of their investigation, detectives are also proactively reviewing that reporting to establish whether there is any evidence of offences”.

The new allegations made to police are understood to have come from several people.

Some date back to the 2000s and are described by police as “non-recent serious sexual offences involving a man now in his 50s”.

It is understood at least some of those who made reports to the police did so this week and had given initial accounts to detectives from the Met’s specialist crime division.

Those accounts were enough for the Met to launch a full criminal investigation by detectives specialising in serious and complex sexual offences.

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.

It is police policy not to name people under investigation, and in a statement announcing the criminal investigation, the force said: “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.

“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.” The Guardian and ITV News reported the allegations against Walliams after a court rejected a legal attempt aimed at preventing publication.

Walliams has not been arrested and is in a medical facility.

Det Supt Mike Cagney, from the Met’s complex sexual offences unit which is leading the investigation, 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.” In a letter addressed to journalists working on the media investigation, Walliams 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.

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.” He added: “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.” Police have not carried out any searches as part of their investigation and one of their central aims is to support and keep the confidence of those who have complained to them about being victims of sexual offending.

The allegations made to the Guardian include accounts from two women who said they first met Walliams when they were 15 years old.

Both women, now in their 30s, said they felt they had been groomed by him two decades ago, and that the experience had continued to affect them.

Walliams was accused of abusing his position to pursue women through the family television show Britain’s Got Talent and at his former children’s book publisher, HarperCollins, where he is alleged to have had a sexual relationship with a junior member of staff.

The allegations were revealed in a joint investigation by the Guardian and ITV News that heard from 30 sources with first-hand accounts of his conduct.

Since the allegations were published, Walliams has been dropped by his literary agency, the BBC has begun to remove his programmes from iPlayer and the Labour party has suspended his membership.

The Met said people could report information to police by calling 101 and providing the reference 4900/10NOV26, or by contacting the complex sexual offences unit on 0207 175 2738.

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