Police ‘joked about arresting Sir Cliff’

Police joked about arresting Sir Cliff Richard at Wimbledon when investigating a child sex-assault allegation, a journalist has told a High Court judge.

BBC reporter Dan Johnson, who broke a story about Sir Cliff being investigated and his home being searched, told colleague Declan Wilson about the joke, Mr Justice Mann heard.

Mr Wilson told the judge how the idea left him “incredulous”.

Sir Cliff has sued the BBC over coverage of the South Yorkshire Police search in August 2014 and wants damages at the “top end” of the scale.

He says the coverage, which involved the use of a helicopter, was a “very serious invasion” of his privacy.

The 77-year-old singer said he decided not to attend Wimbledon in 2015 because the investigation was ongoing and he was under “suspicion”. The BBC disputes his claims. Bosses say coverage of the search of the apartment in Sunningdale, Berkshire, was accurate and in good faith.

Mr Justice Mann has heard how Mr Johnson asked a South Yorkshire Police press officer if Sir Cliff was on the “radar” after getting a tip that the singer was being investigated.

Lawyers representing Sir Cliff have suggested that reporter Dan Johnson had “strong-armed” South Yorkshire Police into telling him a search of Sir Cliff’s apartment would take place.

Picture: PA. Sir Cliff Richard is pursuing damages.