An unnamed male celebrity is fighting to keep his identity secret as several news organizations are attempting to publish sexual misconduct allegations against him.
The celebrity, referred to as PPT, asked the High Court in London for an injunction, as his legal team told the court on Tuesday that article publication would make their client “highly likely” to attempt suicide, BBC reported.
The lawyers claimed their client’s reaction would be a result of concern about “trial by media” rather than wrongdoing, saying that the latter vehemently denied using “his power and position as a celebrity to contact and forge relationships with young women and teenagers to try to have sex with them.”
An unnamed celebrity is asking a court to keep his identity secret as news organizations attempt to publish sexual misconduct allegations against him. (Seen here: A silhouette of an unknown witness, not involved in this story.) Getty Images/iStockphoto
The unknown man, referred to as PPT, asked London’s High Court for an injunction, BBC reported. (Seen here: High Court in London.) REUTERS
The news organizations involved, Guardian News and Media (GNM) and ITN, backed their rights to publish their articles, arguing that there was no legitimate basis “to restrain the publication of public interest journalism” and the celebrity’s “suicide risk” could be lowered.
According to a medical report, the celebrity could undergo treatment that would improve his mental health significantly but not completely mitigate the risk, per BBC.
Sara Mansoori KC, the attorney representing PPT, said the only reason why the published articles wouldn’t be fatal is that her client would be “locked up and prevented from his desire to end his life.”
According to Mansoori, her client attempted suicide twice after he received notice from GNM and ITN, requesting a comment on the allegations. PPT was released from the hospital after the first attempt and tried again.
The man’s attorney told the court on Tuesday that article publication would lead to a high chance of him attempting suicide. Getty Images
“This is not a case where an individual has spuriously raised ‘mental health’ concerns in the face of an impending publication that they do not wish to occur,” Mansoori told the court.
“The claimant has attempted suicide twice as a result of these matters, been hospitalised for months, been the subject of involuntary detention and been examined by multiple — now more than 10 doctors,” the lawyer continued, adding that PPT “has no intention of returning to public life.”
As for Gavin Millar, the attorney representing ITN and GNM, the news outlets have gathered “numerous allegations” throughout the “wide-ranging and rigorous investigation,” emphasizing that journalists interviewed 100 people.
Miller stated that many of the women who have come forward “have been traumatised by the claimant’s alleged conduct and have suffered mental health crises and mental illness as a result.”
The Guardian and ITN are the outlets pushing to publish the allegations.
An attorney for the outlets claimed there was high public interest in the case. (Seen here: ITN’s logo.)
Mr. Justice Nicklin, the judge in the case, agreed there was public interest in the case, saying it was “a difficult and important” one.
Nicklin confirmed he couldn’t confirm the allegations against the celebrity, saying he was only responsible for determining whether the claims could be published by ITN and Guardian News.
The judge also urged the public to refrain from speculating about the celebrity’s identity.