Live raid ‘interfered with Sir Cliff’s privacy’
AN agreement between the BBC and police which led to a raid on Sir Cliff Richard’s home being broadcast live “certainly interfered with his privacy and may well have caused unnecessary distress”, according to an independent report.
A former chief constable has said South Yorkshire Police (SYP) should never have a made a deal with the broadcaster – a decision taken after BBC reporter Dan Johnson went to the force saying he knew they were investigating the veteran entertainer. In his report, Andy Trotter said: “The search at Sir Cliff Richard’s apartment, and the nature of the allegation, generated considerable publicity across the world, certainly interfered with his privacy and may well have caused unnecessary distress.”
He said: “Whatever the motivation and good intentions of those involved from SYP, the outcome has been bad publicity for the force, the chief constable being summoned to the Home Affairs Select Committee, criticism from the media and politicians, complaints from the public, abuse on social media and a public spat with the BBC.
“More importantly, people have seen a search on Sir Cliff Richards’s apartment unfold on television with details of a serious allegation put into the public domain prior to him being interviewed by the police.
“The force can argue that the search was carried out successfully and there was no interference to the investi- gation that the threat of prior publication was avoided. That is true but at considerable cost to the reputation of the force...”
Mr Trotter’s report was ordered by former South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Shaun Wright after detectives searched the 74-year-old star’s Berkshire apartment in August while film crews from the corporation caught the event on camera.
Following the raid, Sir Cliff was interviewed by detectives investigating a claim of a sex crime involving a young boy, but was not arrested or charged.