A celebrity has asked the High Court to prevent two news organisations from publishing his identity and allegations that he abused his status for many years to engage, or attempt to engage, in "inappropriate sexual activities with a large number of girls and young women".

The unnamed celebrity is seeking an injunction, and his legal team told the first day of a trial on Tuesday that any publication would be "highly likely" to lead him to kill himself.

They told the court that his drastic reaction was not because of any wrongdoing, but because of the fear of "trial by media".

The man denies abusing "his power and position as a celebrity to contact and forge relationships with young women and teenagers to try to have sex with them", the court heard.

The legal team for ITN and Guardian News and Media (GNM) told the court that the celebrity's "suicide risk" could be mitigated and there was no proper basis "to restrain the publication of public interest journalism".

A medical report carried out for the court…