Richard demands damages from BBC as autobiography was shelved following coverage of police raid

CLIFF Richard has been paid more than £700,000 (¤808,000) by police after they tipped off the BBC about an investigation into alleged historic sex offences.

The sum emerged as the singer began legal action against the corporation, which could result in multi-million pound payouts.

The 77-year-old is demanding the BBC pay him aggravated damages, including the advance for an autobiography shelved when they “shattered” his reputation by naming him as being under investigation for an alleged sex offence involving a minor dating back to 1985.

As the trial at the High Court began, it emerged that if Richard wins he will seek £278,261

(¤321,000) for legal costs, £108,500

(¤125,000) for PR fees and an undisclosed sum for the “substantial non-recoverable advance” agreed for his autobiography, which was due to be published in 2015.

His lawyers say his book ‘My Life, My Way’ is “no longer viable” and he is entitled to aggravated damages because the BBC have “rubbed salt in the wound” by refusing to apologise.

It also emerged that when South Yorkshire Police settled the allegations against them they agreed to pay Richard £700,000 as well as his legal fees. They have apologised and accepted that their conduct was “unlawful”.

The legal fees have not been decided but the police note that by June 2017 costs against both defendants were already in excess of £1m (¤1.15m).

Justin Rushbrooke QC said that the BBC had reported the police raid on Richard’s home in the most “prominent and sensational way” simply because they were desperate for the “scoop”.

Dan Johnson, their North of England reporter, had also told bosses he had police “over the barrel” as he had a tip that Richard was being investigated.

The BBC deny invasion of privacy and breach of the Data Protection Act, arguing that the claim, the first of its kind, is an affront to the principles of freedom of speech and that they accurately reported a story which was “a matter of high public interest”.

“It is hard to encapsulate in words the sense of panic and powerlessness that must have been induced when he realised the BBC were relaying highly sensitive and damaging information [about him] – all based on an allegation of serious criminal conduct which he knew to be false,” Mr Rushbrooke said.

London’s Metropolitan Police investigated the allegations against Richard generally and found no evidence to support them and it was announced he would face no charges in June 2016. BBC legal documents state that what was published was accurate and a legitimate matter of public interest. Richard is due to give evidence today.