Cliff ‘pleased’ as CPS decision not to prosecute singer is upheld
SIR Cliff Richard has said he is “obviously pleased” after decisions not to charge him over historical sex abuse allegations were upheld.
The veteran singer spoke of his hope that the development “brings this matter to a close” after a review concluded the CPS was correct not to prosecute.
Sir Cliff was the subject of a long-running South Yorkshire Police investigation, which centred on accusations dating between 1958 and 1983 made by four men.
Earlier this year the CPS announced that no charges were to be brought as a result of the inquiry.
It subsequently received applications to review two of the charging decisions, under the Victims’ Right to Review scheme.
In a statement yesterday, a CPS spokesman said: “In accordance with the scheme, a CPS lawyer who was not involved in the original decision-making process has completed a full review of the evidence and has concluded that the decisions not to charge were correct.”
Following the announcement, Sir Cliff said: “As I have said previously, I’m innocent. So I’m obviously pleased with today’s CPS decision and the speed with which they reached it. I hope that it brings this matter to a close.”
The 75-year-old was never arrested and in June the CPS announced it had decided that no further action should be taken, saying there was “insufficient evidence” to prosecute.
The singer later spoke of the devastating impact of the ordeal. Sir Cliff told how he was taken ill on a tennis court in one episode.
He said: “I went ahead, but I could hardly lift my arm up. I was told, ‘Just take it gently’, but I couldn’t do that either. I couldn’t understand what was happening to me. I thought I was going to die.”