High Court to decide on celeb’s ‘risk-to-life’ anonymity injunction

The High Court will this afternoon decide whether to grant a permanent injunction sought by an anonymous celebrity over the publication of allegations of exploitative sexual behaviour.

PPT, as the claimant is identified, denies the allegations against him which the Guardian and ITN propose to publish. He is seeking an injunction against the Guardian and ITN over publication. At a hearing last month, his lawyers argued that any publication would expose him to a continuing risk to life after previous suicide attempts.

Earlier, before the two-day trial at the end of October, the High Court ordered the claimant be anonymised in proceedings and reporting restrictions were also imposed prohibiting anyone from identifying PPT. In its order the court said it was ‘strictly satisfied that non-disclosure of the identity of the claimant is necessary to secure the proper administration of justice’.

The claimant also sought to anonymise the Guardian and ITN, but this was refused.

Mr Justice Nicklin is due to hand down judgment at 2pm today.