“Doctor Who” star Noel Clarke was arrested on Thursday as his London home was searched by the police, according to The Guardian.
Detectives with the Metropolitan Police were seen leaving the actor’s Kensington property with boxes on Thursday morning, The Guardian reports, and Clarke was arrested and questioned in custody. The reason for the arrest is currently unknown, and he was released from custody. According to The Guardian, an investigation into Clarke began on Sept. 1 and is being led by the central specialist crime command.
Variety has reached out to the Metropolitan Police for comment. A representative for Clarke could not immediately be reached.
In August, Clarke lost a libel case against The Guardian, having sued the newspaper’s publisher for its initial expose in 2021 detailing allegations of sexual misconduct from more than 20 women. He has now been ordered to pay £3 million ($4 million) of The Guardian’s legal costs. Over a dozen women testified against Clarke during the six-week trial, each claiming that they had personally experienced misconduct by the actor. He denied he had behaved sexually inappropriately with them.
“This judgment is a deserved victory for those women who suffered because of the behavior of Noel Clarke,” said Guardian News and Media editor-in-chief Katharine Viner in a statement following the ruling. “Going to court is difficult and stressful, yet more than 20 women agreed to testify in the High Court, refusing to be bullied or intimidated.”
During the hearing, Clarke told the judge: “I have lost my work, my savings, my legal team, my ability to support my family and much of my health.”