Cliff accuser was arrested ‘over plot to blackmail him’ New twist piles pressure on bungling police
SUNDAY MIRROR
ONE of Sir Cliff Richard’s sex accusers was arrested over an alleged plot to blackmail him.
The man is said to have contacted the pop legend’s PR after seeing the televised raid on his home, demanding money not to spread false allegations about him.
But Sir Cliff ’s people shopped him to local police who promptly arrested and questioned him.
The man, who was in his 40s and is said to have had mental health problems, was then bailed with strict conditions banning him from contacting the singer, his relatives and his PR team.
But in a bizarre twist, he then contacted detectives from South Yorkshire Police, the investigating force who had carried out the search of Sir Cliff ’s Berkshire home.
They fell for his malicious claims and included them in the file sent to the Crown Prosecution Service. The other force later dropped the blackmail case against him.
Our revelation will today heap more pressure on police chiefs over the handling of the case against Sir Cliff thrown out by the CPS last week. And yesterday leading human rights lawyer Geoffrey Robertson called for a full inquiry.
The doomed case against Sir Cliff began when another man claimed to have been molested as a youngster at a Christian rally in Sheffield in 1985.
Eight more accusers then came forward, including Sir Cliff ’s alleged blackmailer.
BAIT
During three interviews at his address in the Home Counties, the man told South Yorkshire detectives the singer abused him.
Sir Cliff, 75, was never arrested. And after the CPS decision was announced, he said he had been “hung out like live bait”. The star is said to be considering whether to sue the police, the BBC or his accusers. South Yorkshire Police spent £800,000 on the probe, codenamed Operation Kaddie. It was described by MPs as “inept”.
Queen’s Counsel Mr Robertson said there should be a public inquiry into why no search warrant was granted for the raid on Sir Cliff ’s home while he was abroad and why the BBC was allowed to film it.
Mr Robertson said: “The danger of exposing this to the world – which is done deliberately in the hope people will come forward – is that those who do may be fantasists, criminals or looking to sue for money.”
On Friday it was claimed another of the nine men falsely alleging abuse was a psychopathic serial rapist.
Another accuser told police the star was wearing roller skates while abusing him in 1981.
Sir Cliff, who was told there was “insufficient evidence” against him, now aims to return to his beloved Wimbledon later this month. He missed the tennis championships for the first time in 20 years last year as he battled the allegations.
He is also preparing for a music festival in the Faroe Islands and performances on an eight-day Mediterranean cruise.