Walsh denies accusations of assault

X-FACTOR judge and boyband manager Louis Walsh has strongly denied allegations that he indecently assaulted a young man at a popular Dublin nightclub.

The music impresario, who has managed groups including Boyzone, Westlife and Jedward, issued a statement over the weekend to deny the accusation that has shocked the Irish pop music and entertainment worlds.

A 24-year-old male has made a complaint to gardaí that he was molested by Walsh in a toilet at Krystle nightclub on Harcourt Street in Dublin in the early hours of April 10 last following a Westlife concert the previous evening. It is understood that Walsh was interviewed by gardaí investigating the allegation in a Dublin hotel last Friday at which he utterly rejected the claim made by his purported victim.

In a statement released through a PR agency that handles a large number of showbiz clients, Mr Walsh remarked: “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.”

Mr Walsh also thanked all the people who had sent messages of support to him since the controversy first broke last week.

A spokeswoman for the Co Mayo-born music promoter said he was back in Ireland and co-operating fully with the Garda investigation into the allegation.

She added that Mr Walsh was “fully confident” that the matter would be resolved quickly.

Although she said that there would be no further comment because of the Garda investigation, Mr Walsh was quoted in a number of Sunday newspapers in which he announced that he is planning to hire 24-hour bodyguards in future.

“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,” said Mr Walsh.

Meanwhile, the 24-year-old alleged victim, a father of two from Co Meath, has also refused to comment on the incident.