Louis Walsh is "pleased and relieved" after a man who accused him of groping him in a nightclub bathroom was put behind bars.

Louis was left distraught when unemployed dance teacher Leonard Watters accused The X Factor judge of inappropriately touching him at the Krystle nightclub in Dublin last year while he was out partying with his band Westlife.

Watters, who was likened to fictional fantasist Walter Mitty, was subsequently charged with two counts of making false reports to police, and was hauled up in front a judge in October.

During the hearing, he admitted he made the whole thing up, taking the witness box to say: "I would like to sincerely apologise to Mr Louis Walsh for all the stuff I put him through. The allegation was false."

His lawyer pleaded with the judge to let his client off, explaining how his life had been a series of disasters and he was a laughing stock in his community.

Lawyer Cahir O'Higgins told the court: "For ever and a day, he will be known as the guy who accused Louis Walsh in the wrong. He is a vulnerable, fragile human being, who behaved appallingly without giving real thought to the consequences for the injured party."

However, the judge ignored his please and ordered Watters to serve a six-month custodial sentence.

Pals including Simon Cowell and Sharon Osbourne rallied to support the Irish music mogul at the time of the allegations, insisting they were rubbish.

A fuming Louis said at the time: "It didn't happen so therefore there is no case to answer and I am extremely angry that someone is trying to tarnish my name and reputation.

"My phone has not stopped ringing with messages of support from around the world which means so much to me. I am hoping that this matter will be resolved as quickly as possible."

Police agreed, and the case was dropped following an investigation and the discovery of CCTV evidence which proved the incident did not take place.