Police investigate allegations of sexual offences involving David Walliams

The Metropolitan Police has launched an investigation into allegations of non-recent serious sexual offences involving British entertainer and children’s author David Walliams, the BBC and Sky News report.

The force said it had received a number of allegations in recent days. It said they were separate from those described in a joint ITV News and Guardian investigation published on 10 November, although detectives are also reviewing that reporting to establish whether there is evidence of offences.

Police have not confirmed how many alleged offences have been reported, what they involve, or when and where they are said to have taken place, PA Media reports.

The earlier investigation included accounts from women who said Walliams had approached them when they were teenagers. One woman described an alleged encounter when she was 15 as sexual assault. Walliams strongly denied any sexual contact with her.

Responding to the ITV and Guardian investigation, Walliams denied the allegations and any criminal behaviour. He said: “I am not a sexual predator … I have not broken the law.” He also said he regretted sometimes behaving thoughtlessly towards people with whom he had casual sexual relationships, but denied abusing his fame.

Before that investigation was published, Walliams sought an injunction to prevent publication, arguing that it posed a risk to his life. The High Court dismissed his request on 3 November, and he did not appeal. The judge did not decide whether the allegations were true.