UK police launch sex offense investigation into children’s author and TV personality David Walliams

LONDON (AP) — British children’s author and TV personality David Walliams is under investigation for serious sex offense allegations made after news outlets reported that he used his fame to groom girls and young women for sex, London police said Friday.The Metropolitan Police said it had received a number of allegations of past abuse following the joint investigation this week by ITV News and the Guardian newspaper.One woman said in the reports that 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.Police said the allegations made in recent days are different from those reported by the news outlets. Investigators, however, will look into the news stories for evidence of other crimes.Walliams, 55, has denied the allegations, saying he had not broken any laws and was not a sexual predator.“I am devastated that some of the women I met 10 to 20 years ago have now expressed hurt or anger towards me,” Wa