David Walliams accused of grooming and sexual misconduct against girls as young as fifteen
David Walliams has been accused of grooming and sexual misconduct by multiple women after losing a High Court bid for an injunction to block publication of the allegations.
The deadline to appeal against the decision has now passed, allowing the three-year investigation by ITV News and The Guardian to be published.
The allegations, which Walliams denies, include accounts from two women who said they first met Walliams when they were 15 years old. According to the investigation, one woman, referred to as Alex, remained in contact with him through telephone calls and emails over the following two years. She alleges that by the age of 17, she was engaged in a sexual relationship with him.
Another woman, referred to by The Guardian as Jade, alleges she met Walliams at the age of 15. She claims that within weeks of their first meeting, he invited her to his home and initiated sexual contact with her.
Alex and Jade are among several women whose accounts form part of the investigation into the TV personality and children’s author. The women allege that Walliams used his celebrity status, influence and position of power to pursue and exploit relationships with them when they were teenagers or young women.
These allegations raise serious questions about power, accountability and the ability of influential public figures to avoid scrutiny for conduct that might otherwise be challenged far sooner.
Fighting against abuse of power
The investigation was published just a day after Russell Brand was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison following his conviction for rape and three counts of sexual assault. As solicitors representing survivors of sexual abuse, we have been reflecting on the barriers many survivors continue to face when seeking justice.
Wealth, status and access to powerful legal resources can be used to delay scrutiny, suppress reporting or discourage survivors from coming forward. Whether allegations are ultimately proven or disproven, no individual should be beyond accountability simply because of their fame, influence or financial means.
Walliams said he regrets “not always taking people’s feelings properly into account”, but denies abusing what he called the “inevitable” power imbalance he had over his accusers.
Justice must be equal for everyone, and public confidence in the rule of law depends on the principle that no one is above it. We must continue to challenge a system that can appear to operate differently for those with power and privilege, and work towards one in which survivors are able to speak out without fear of being silenced by reputational, legal or financial pressure.
