Actor Noel Clarke was reportedly arrested at his London home on Thursday.
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According to the U.K.’s Express, officers searched the Doctor Who star’s property, with a dog unit present.
The Express reported that police arrived at the Kensington, West London, property before 9 am, remaining on scene for approximately five hours.
Officers were seen leaving the address with boxes containing laptops, documents, and other computer equipment, which were allegedly removed from the home.
Clarke was reportedly arrested and questioned in custody, but the Met Police have not released a statement or confirmed any details about the incident. The 49-year-old actor is believed to have returned to his home around 5:30 pm, accompanied by two other people.
The Actor’s Reported Arrest Follows Allegations of Sexual Misconduct
Meanwhile, the reported arrest follows Clarke losing a libel case against The Guardian. The newspaper had previously published a series of articles based on an investigation where more than 20 women accused him of sexual misconduct.
The first article, published in April 2021, reported that 20 women who knew Clarke professionally had accused him of sexual misconduct.
At the time, the actor, writer, and director, known for his 2006 film Kidulthood and his role in Doctor Who, said he vehemently denied “any sexual misconduct or wrongdoing”.
The actor, who played Mickey Smith on the long-running sci-fi show, reportedly sought £70 million in damages, claiming the articles were defamatory.
In August, Mrs Justice Steyn rejected the actor’s claim in a High Court judgment. Meanwhile, Clarke continues to protest his innocence. “For almost five years, I have fought against a powerful media outlet and its extensive legal teams over inaccurate and damaging reporting,” he said after he lost the case.
“These stories started via anonymous emails portraying me as a monster to attract attention and outrage,” the actor continued, per the Express. “The goal was to damage my career, and they succeeded.”
“I have never claimed to be perfect,” Clarke added. “But I am not the person described in these articles. Overnight, I lost everything; the media outlet didn’t just ruin my life, they ripped through my family’s also.”
In 2009, Clarke won the BAFTA Rising Star award, and in 2021, he received BAFTA’s Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema honor. However, both the award and his BAFTA membership were suspended following accusations of sexual misconduct.