Celebrity accused of sex abuse could be named after he appears to miss deadline for appealing injunction refusal decision

The Court of Appeal said it had received no appeal or request for extra time by the 4.30pm deadline from a celebrity seeking to prevent publication of sexual misconduct allegations. If no appeal was lodged, a High Court ruling allows reporting restrictions on his identity to be lifted when ITN or The Guardian first publishes allegations identifying him.

The man, referred to in court as PPT, denies wrongdoing and is accused of exploiting his status in alleged sexual activity involving many women and girls. The news organisations say they have spoken to more than 100 people with knowledge of the alleged conduct, including 30 with first-hand accounts. His lawyers had argued publication could put his life at risk; the judge said that, despite the serious mental health concerns, the court had no legal basis to restrain publication.