Show biz mogul Louis Walsh is to hire round-the-clock security after he was accused of groping a father of two in a Dublin nightclub toilet.
The Westlife manager has been rocked by the claims from a man that he was sexually assaulted by Walsh at the Krystle nightclub in the city center.
The "X Factor" judge has vigorously denied the claims as a host of top showbiz names, including Simon Cowell, have jumped to his defence.
The man made the complaint to Irish police after the alleged incident in the toilets of the nightclub last April.
The claimant has now instructed his solicitors to warn Irish newspapers that publishing his name will hamper any police investigation.
Solicitors for the man have also claimed that the huge volume of publicity in Britain and Ireland is a "gross violation" of his human rights.
Walsh has again rebuked the claims publicly and told friends that he is to hire 24-hour security and change his lifestyle.
“I can’t live this way anymore,” Walsh told the Sunday Independent. “I’m going to have to learn a new way of living my life.
“For too long, close friends of mine have told me I was too open and too accessible and now everything has to change.
“I just wanted to be a normal guy in a very abnormal job but unfortunately I can’t live that way anymore. This has shaken me to the core.”
The accusations came to light last Wednesday as Walsh was about to undertake a high profile television interview in London ahead of his new season as a judge on the UK version of the "X Factor" show.
Mayo-native Walsh was interviewed by police at a Dublin hotel on Friday as solicitors for the man officially confirmed that he has made a formal complaint of sexual assault, which Walsh will vehemently oppose.
“The truth is I never went near the toilets in the club all night. I did get this person into the nightclub, but I went off with my own friends upstairs,” said Walsh.
“We left him in an entirely different part of the club. I stayed with a group of other people all night and in the end I got a taxi back to the Four Seasons with two girls to collect my car and I dropped the two girls home.
“It didn’t happen, so therefore there is no case to answer and I am extremely angry that someone is trying to tarnish my name and reputation.
“My phone has not stopped ringing with messages of support from around the world, which means so much to me. I am hoping that this matter will be resolved as quickly as possible.”
"X Factor" boss Simon Cowell, a close friend of the Irishman, typified the show business support for his friend.
Cowell said: “I have known Louis for 20 years and I don’t believe for a second that these allegations are true. I feel very sorry for him. I’ve spoken to him and he is really upset.”
Comments