Comedian David Walliams has failed in his attempt to obtain an injunction preventing The Guardian and ITN from publishing allegations of his inappropriate sexual conduct with young women. His lawyers claimed that the publication of the allegations would lead Walliams to take his own life, and they confirmed that he is currently sectioned under the Mental Health Act for his own protection.
Matthew Nicklin, the presiding judge at the High Court in London, ruled yesterday that although Walliams was a suicide risk, it was the responsibility of the healthcare system to protect him from self-harm. He said that an injunction “would constitute an exceptionally serious interference” with the two news organisations’ rights to publish their joint investigation.
However, Walliams cannot be named in England and Wales until his case is heard by the Court of Appeal. He can currently only be identified as PPT, the random code assigned when injunctions are sought or granted. (On its front page today, The Sun used red ink to self-censor its headline about the case.)
Previous high-profile High Court injunctions include those obtained by businessman Philip Green, footballers Ryan Giggs and David Beckham, singer Elton John’s husband David Furnish, TV presenter Ben Alcott, and actors Hugh Bonneville and David Threlfall. The restrictions on publication do not apply in Scotland or elsewhere in the world.
Matthew Nicklin, the presiding judge at the High Court in London, ruled yesterday that although Walliams was a suicide risk, it was the responsibility of the healthcare system to protect him from self-harm. He said that an injunction “would constitute an exceptionally serious interference” with the two news organisations’ rights to publish their joint investigation.
However, Walliams cannot be named in England and Wales until his case is heard by the Court of Appeal. He can currently only be identified as PPT, the random code assigned when injunctions are sought or granted. (On its front page today, The Sun used red ink to self-censor its headline about the case.)
Previous high-profile High Court injunctions include those obtained by businessman Philip Green, footballers Ryan Giggs and David Beckham, singer Elton John’s husband David Furnish, TV presenter Ben Alcott, and actors Hugh Bonneville and David Threlfall. The restrictions on publication do not apply in Scotland or elsewhere in the world.
