The Metropolitan Police has launched an investigation after receiving a number of allegations of non-recent serious sexual offences involving a man now in his 50s.
The Met said the allegations were received in recent days. Those who have come forward are being supported by specialist officers.
The force said the allegations are separate from those reported by ITN and The Guardian. Detectives are also proactively reviewing that reporting as part of their investigation, to establish whether there is any evidence of offences.
Detective Superintendent Mike Cagney, whose team 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,” he said.
Anyone who wishes to report information to police can do so by calling 101, quoting the reference 4900/10NOV26, or by contacting the Met’s Complex Sexual Offences Unit directly on 0207 175 2738.
The Times has named the man as the comedian and children’s author David Walliams, 55. The Met itself has not named him. His lawyers have said he never engaged in grooming young women and that the allegations of serious criminal conduct are false. He has not been arrested or charged with anything.
Earlier this week, a High Court judge rejected Walliams’s plea to prevent him being named in the investigation by ITN and The Guardian. The allegations in that investigation were published on Tuesday after the deadline for Walliams to appeal against the ruling expired.
No charges have been brought in connection with the Met investigation.
The investigation is at an early stage. The Met has not said when the alleged offences are said to have taken place, beyond describing them as non-recent, and has not given any further details about the man involved.
It is the second high-profile sexual-offence case in London courts this week to turn on the difference between allegation and conviction. On Tuesday, a man was found not guilty of kidnapping and sexual offences at Woolwich Crown Court, with the jury unable to agree on a further count. Police have also issued a CCTV appeal in a separate sexual assault case on a train between London Bridge and Sevenoaks.
Updated: 13 November at 4.30pm — The Times has named the man as David Walliams; his lawyers deny the allegations.
