London police said Friday that they are investigating children’s author and comedian David Walliams for serious sexual offenses after news outlets reported allegations of misconduct.
The Metropolitan Police said it had received a number of allegations of abuse in the past after a joint investigation by ITV News and the Guardian newspaper.
The allegations are different from those reported by the news outlets, police said. But they will also look into the news stories to see if there is evidence of other crimes.
The two news outlets reported on Tuesday that their joint investigation found Walliams used his fame to groom girls and young women for sex.
One woman alleged she was sexually assaulted by Walliams at his London home when she was 15, while others accused him of grooming them when they were teens.
“We would encourage anyone who has been the victim of a sexual offense to come forward and speak to us, no matter when it happened,” Det. Supt. Mike Cagney said.
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