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 “highly likely lead him to commit suicide”.

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 The Guardian 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 said inpatient treatment could provide “significant, but not complete mitigation of the risk”, but that treatment, perhaps for months, had “a realistic potential to reduce the risk”.

The judge, Mr Justice Nicklin, said there was “significant public interest” in the proceedings and that “this is a difficult and important case”.

He added: “The court must determine it fairly, on the evidence and legal submissions.”

Nicklin also urged the press and public not to speculate about the man’s identity.