In his own words...
On the BBC and why he fought the case
‘THEY [senior managers] have to carry the can. If heads roll then maybe it’s because it was deserved.
‘I desperately wanted [the BBC] to apologise and say “we got it wrong”. The South Yorkshire Police proved to be bigger than the BBC. I have still received no apology from the BBC.
‘To me, it’s the greatest bit of charity work I’ll ever do. I have spent £4million trying to make sure the innocent man in the street, who can’t afford to do what I have had to do... That’s what I’m fighting for all the time. I believe institutions like the BBC are things that we should trust.
‘The BBC knew the police were not going to name me. It seemed to me there was a great deal of arrogance in that they took no notice of the police.’
On the judge’s verdict
‘MY eyes were watering. It was far more emotional than I thought.
‘I’m controlling myself at the moment but I’m sure when I speak to people about this again I shall be weeping again… It was wonderful to have everything endorsed by the judge like that and I haven’t wasted my time… But for me I don’t feel so triumphant that I should gloat. And so I’m not going to.
‘It was an awful time. In the first two years I managed to get an average of two hours’ sleep a day. I never went to sleep without thinking about it, I never got up without thinking about it.’
On the police investigation
‘I innocently thought it would blow over, they can’t possibly make anything of it. Then it stretched on and on. I didn’t want to see anybody. I was highly embarrassed. I thought some people are going to believe this. Some people are going to use that ridiculous statement “there’s no smoke without fire”.
On seeing the raid on TV
‘I’D rather have been burgled to be honest. They wore blue gloves and were looking through drawers and cupboards. It was just horrifying.
‘I only went back to that apartment once to get all my possessions. I sold it at considerable loss. I couldn’t live there. That story went all over Europe, South East Asia, Australia, New Zealand... it seems an impossible thing to undo. There’s always going to be a tarnish.
‘It was a strange thing – the nearest thing to fainting. I couldn’t stand up. I found myself on the floor. I thought, “I’m in a hole I didn’t dig” but I always had a feeling the truth would out.’
On the impact on his life
‘IN Wimbledon there is a tunnel between Centre Court and Court One. I used to use it regularly. It went right past the ball boys’ dressing room. I won’t go there now. I won’t go anywhere near children. Why? I’ve spent my whole life hugging people’s grandchildren. But because of this thing…
‘I have a winery and people stopped taking my wine. My calendar wasn’t taking. That upset me most of all – my calendar! I’m joking.
‘[A children’s charity] asked me not to come that year. I found that really difficult to cope with.
‘How can I forget what’s been the most horrible, disastrous thing that’s ever taken place in my life? All the more frustrating because I tried to do everything the correct way. I was a good ambassador for Britain.’
On naming suspects
‘WHAT about my freedom? What the BBC did was an abuse. I hope the Press don’t think the freedom of speech is in danger here. It’s not. It’s their abuse of it that’s in danger. I’m not against the Press. We need the Press… but I don’t trust them as much as I used to.
‘I’d rather ten guilty people get away with it than one innocent person suffer. If the police had found enough to prosecute me, I would have been charged and then I could have been named… Supposing I was a molester of children? I may have got away with it but I probably wouldn’t have. We are trying to see if we can get something to make sure that people aren’t named until they have enough against them to take a prosecution. I may be prominent but I am not fodder. I refuse to be fodder.’
On his supporters
‘I’VE been supported by our nation really. I’m grateful that support was there for me when I really needed it.’