A woman who says a “well-known” man committed a sexual offence against her is among those whose identities have been shielded by a High Court judge, as the man himself fights to keep the allegations against him out of the press.
The man, who cannot be named in the proceedings, has asked the court in London to stop Independent Television News and Guardian News & Media from publishing what his lawyers’ opponents describe as “serious allegations”, including one of a sexual nature. He denies the allegations.
At the heart of his request is medical evidence submitted to the court, which stated that publication would “almost certainly” lead him to “attempting to take his own life”. Judges were told the prospect of the allegations becoming public had already resulted in two suicide attempts.
The dispute stems from an investigation by the two media organisations into the man’s “conduct over a period of years”. ITN, which produces news for ITV and Channel 4, and Guardian News & Media, which publishes the Guardian, sent two letters to the man in the spring of 2026 setting out what they had found. He responded by denying the allegations and providing medical reports indicating a risk to his life if the material were published.
At the injunction hearing, lawyers for the media organisations argued that “it would be wrong” for the court to “restrain publication”. They pointed out that the “law provides for a detailed and well-established scheme by which the interests of those at risk of suicide is specially protected by NHS mental health professionals”.
Mr Justice Nicklin, the High Court judge handling the case, has granted anonymity to several people connected to it. Two individuals who agreed to be identified in any eventual ITN or Guardian News & Media report were nonetheless given anonymity in the current proceedings. The nature of the allegations, and how these two journalistic sources relate to them, has not been disclosed.
A third source for the investigation, a woman who has alleged she was the victim of a sexual offence by the well-known individual, has also been granted anonymity for now.
What happens next falls to a trial due to be held later this month, which will decide whether ITN and Guardian News & Media are permanently prevented from naming the man and publishing the allegations. The outcome will determine whether the woman’s account, and the accounts of the other sources, can ever reach the public.
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this story, information and support can be found at the BBC’s Action Line. Further coverage is available at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c674pz3l0e73o.