UK children's author David Walliams accused of sex assault, grooming teens

British children's author David Walliams, 55, is facing accusations of sexual misconduct, according to ITV News and the Guardian newspaper. Multiple women have come forward, alleging that the author used his fame to groom and sexually assault young women. One woman claims Walliams sexually assaulted her when she was 15. Walliams denies the allegations and claims they would lead him to take his own life.

His lawyers argued that publishing the allegations would breach his right to privacy due to his "serious and longstanding psychiatric vulnerability." However, a judge rejected his request for an injunction, stating that the public interest in publishing the allegations outweighed the potential risk to Walliams' mental health. Walliams, who has written over 40 children's books and sold more than 60 million copies worldwide, was previously dropped by publisher HarperCollins after allegations of inappropriate behavior.