Al Porter is “pleased” with the findings of an independent inquiry into his behaviour towards a patient during a visit to St Patrick’s Hospital.
The Hospital have released a report which states Al “lacked boundaries”, according to the Irish Sunday Times.
Despite the verdict of the inquiry the 25-year-old said he feels “regret” for making the man, also in his twenties feel “uncomfortable” with “physical contact” during a charity visit to the hospital in 2015.
A patient alleged that the comedian had groped him during a charity visit to promote Mental Health Awareness week. An array of other allegations against the comedian in the Irish Times – were some men publicly accused him of sexual misconduct.
As a result of the claims Al stepped away from his show on Today FM, his lead role in the Olympia Christmas Panto and the rest of TV3’s Blind Date series, for which he was the presenter, was shelved.
The report’s findings have not been published yet but the comedian wished to contextualise them from his point of view and released a statement at five past six on Friday evening as the last few hours of voting were taking place in the 8th amendment referendum.
The former presenter stated that the timing of his statement was “awful” but he claimed he was forced to speak out due to the report leaking to the press.
While did express regret he maintained his innocence saying, “I have always denied any impropriety at St Patrick’s Hospital during my charity radio visit.”
He defended himself by saying, “On our visit there, three years ago, I was exclusively in busy public areas, in full view of staff and visitors, and always in the company of my co-host Colm Hayes, who corroborated my account of the day.”
Porter said the incidents at the hospital that the report will detail when it is released are as follows: “physical contact (a hand on the back and chest) during a conversation made the complainant feel uncomfortable and later that day physical contact (a hand on his shoulder and a kiss on the cheek), my standard photo pose, for a photo he requested, made the complainant uncomfortable again. I regret that.”
Porter concluded by saying he hoped the man involved “has found some closure through this investigative process.”
