Man admits making up sex allegations against Walsh

POP promoter Louis Walsh has been vindicated after a man who made serious sexual allegations against him admitted he made them up.

The complainant has now been arrested and faces possible charges of wasting Garda time and making false accusations.

The development clears Mr Walsh of claims that he sexually assaulted a 24-year-old man at Krystle nightclub in Dublin on April 10 last.

Mr Walsh yesterday welcomed that the investigation into the claims had been dropped and said it had been a “hugely distressing time” for him.

A newspaper broke the allegations in a front page story last week, sparking extensive coverage of the claims and Mr Walsh.

The X Factor judge immediately described the accusations as “wholly false” and said he was determined to clear his name.

It emerged yesterday that the complainant had made a U-turn on the claims, saying Mr Walsh was no longer his attacker.

Garda sources said detectives interviewed the man on Monday night when the dramatic development came.

“Detectives questioned him a bit harder and he balked and said he made it up,” said a garda source.

The source said it appeared the man had actually been “annoying” Mr Walsh at the Harcourt Street venue on the night.

Detectives from Pearse Street Garda Station arrested the man at his home in Navan, Co Meath, yesterday.

He was detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act.

“He is being questioned about wasting Garda time and making false allegations,” the source said.

The man now faces the possibility of being charged with these offences.

In a statement yesterday, Mr Walsh said: “I have been informed by An Garda Síochána that I am now no longer under investigation. I have robustly maintained from the outset that this alleged incident did not occur.

“While I obviously welcome today’s confirmation from the Garda that the matter has been dropped, I remain outraged that this story ran in the first place in The Sun.”

He said he had instructed his libel lawyers to “vigorously pursue legal action against the paper” and take “action in relation to a number of other equally serious related matters”.

He added: “I have no intention of letting this matter rest until I have received total and absolute vindication. This has been a hugely distressing time for me but I would like to thank all my friends and colleagues for their support and I am now just looking forward to getting back to work.”