Unnamed Celebrity Asks London Court to Block Media Reports on Abuse Claims

A well-known man who cannot be named is asking the High Court in London to stop two news organizations from publishing his identity and allegations that he abused his status to pursue sexual contact with girls and young women. The trial opened Tuesday, Oct. 27, before Mr. Justice Nicklin.

The judge will not decide whether the allegations are true. He will rule only on whether they can be published, with a written decision expected at a later date, according to Metro and The Mirror. The man is referred to in court as PPT, and the defendants are Independent Television News (ITN) and Guardian News and Media (GNM), publisher of The Guardian.

What the celebrity's lawyers argued

Sara Mansoori KC, representing the man, told the court that he denies the allegations. She said publication would have a potentially fatal effect, and that the only reason it might not be fatal is that he would be detained and prevented from acting on a wish to end his life, the BBC reported.

She said he attempted suicide after receiving letters from ITN and GNM asking for his response to the allegations. According to the BBC and The Mirror, he later left a hospital without permission and made a second attempt. Mansoori said his reaction was not driven by the allegations themselves but by long-term trauma and fear of a trial by media.

In written submissions, she said this was not a case of someone raising mental health concerns as a tactic. She told the court he has been hospitalized for months, held involuntarily and examined by more than 10 doctors. She added that he has no intention of returning to public life.

What ITN and The Guardian's publisher argued

Gavin Millar KC, for ITN and GNM, said the allegations came from a wide-ranging and rigorous investigation and that there is a strong public interest in publishing them. He said reporters spoke to more than 100 people, including friends, colleagues and women making allegations against the man.

According to The Mirror, Millar said the accounts came from various sources who mostly did not know each other, and that their similarity pointed to a pattern of behavior. He said the organizations intend to publish numerous allegations that the man abused his status over many years. He also said many of the women have been traumatized and have suffered mental health crises.

Millar acknowledged that the state may have a duty to protect life. But he argued that applying it here would force the state to interfere with lawful journalism to prevent an act by the man himself.

The BBC reported that the news organizations told the court the suicide risk could be reduced. A medical report prepared for the court said inpatient treatment, possibly lasting months, could provide significant but not complete mitigation of the risk and had a realistic potential to reduce it.

What the judge said

Nicklin called it a difficult and important case and said there was significant public interest in the proceedings. He said the court must decide it fairly on the evidence and legal arguments.

He also warned against guessing the man's identity. Online speculation, he said, does not give anyone authority to name him in connection with the case, and repeating a guess does not make it fact. Metro reported that this applies to online and social media posts, and that breaching the order could be treated as contempt of court, punishable by a fine or up to two years in prison.

What's at stake

The case sets two interests against each other: the public interest in journalism about alleged abuse of power, and the claimed risk to one man's life. For readers in Britain, the immediate effect is that the man's name and the details of the allegations remain off limits while the judge considers the matter, including on social media.

The ruling will not establish whether the allegations are true. It will decide only whether the two organizations may report them.

What happens next

The hearing is due to conclude Wednesday. Nicklin is expected to deliver his decision in writing at a later date.

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Around Prague, based on reporting by BBC, Metro.co.uk, The Mirror