TARNISHED FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE
Cliff’s fury as he’s FINALLY cleared of abuse charges
SIR Cliff Richard said yesterday that he was ‘hung out like live bait’ during the bungled child sex abuse investigation into him and that his reputation will never be ‘fully vindicated’.
The pop legend denounced the inquiry as he was belatedly cleared of hotly contested allegations dating back almost 60 years to 1958 – when he was just 18.
Nearly two years after a police raid on his home, which was filmed live by a BBC crew in a helicopter circling above, prosecutors announced there was ‘insufficient evidence’ to press any charges.
The Crown Prosecution Service took just five weeks to reach the decision based on the file of evidence sent to it by police – a further indication, said legal sources, that the case against him was woeful.
Sir Cliff, 75, released a statement saying the police
‘This has been a sorry saga’
inquiry had been ‘ fumbled’ from the outset. And former director of public prosecutions Lord Macdonald QC told the Daily Mail: ‘ This has been a sorry saga. From the outrageous televising of the search of Sir Cliff’s home, to a seemingly endless investigation leading nowhere, this has been yet another misjudged attempt by the police to atone for past mistakes.’ In other developments: ÷ Sources close to the case said there were ‘major holes’ in accusers’ accounts, which should have seen the case closed months ago; ÷ It was claimed that one of Sir Cliff’s accusers is a vicar; ÷ Sir Cliff called for a ‘complete review of police procedures’, condemning the fact that he was named publicly before ever being charged; ÷ One of the accusers is understood to be planning to appeal against the decision not to bring charges.
Last night there was fury that it took so long for Sir Cliff to be cleared. Comedian Jimmy Tarbuck, who was also cleared over child sex abuse allegations in 2014, said: ‘I have known this man since we were 19 years of age, and I knew him then as a nice fellow. He’s a decent human being. And why keep him waiting all this long?’
There was no official word on whether Sir Cliff will sue the BBC for breaching his privacy by filming the raid on his Berkshire home in August 2014, while he was at his holiday home in Portugal, after the broadcaster made a secret deal with South Yorkshire Police. But friends said he is in discussions with his lawyers.
Sir Cliff was first interviewed by police in 2014 – after the raid took place – after a man claimed to have been groped by him as a boy at a Christian rally at Sheffield United’s Bramall Lane stadium in 1985. He has been forced to wait some 672 days to be cleared, to the fury of his fans and friends, who described the case as a ‘witch-hunt’. Even the ini- tial complainant has criticised the way it has been handled.
South Yorkshire Police said nine people made accusations against Sir Cliff – but the claims of five did not reach the evidential threshold even to be passed to the CPS. And the CPS has now decided there was ‘insufficient evidence to prosecute’ over the claims of the other four, which date from 1958 to 1983.
Sir Cliff was at his Portugal home when he received the confirmation he had been cleared around 9am yesterday. He said: ‘I have always maintained my innocence, co-operated fully with the investigation, and cannot understand why it has taken so long to get to this point!
‘Even though I was under pressure to “speak out” ... I chose to remain silent. This was despite the widely- shared sense of injustice resulting from the high-profile fumbling of my case from day one.’
Last night there were unconfirmed claims one of Sir Cliff’s accusers is a vicar and that one of the alleged attacks was said to have happened while he was shooting a pop video.
A source said the ‘holes’ in accusers’ accounts included erroneous descriptions of a key location in Sheffield United’s ground. Conserv- ative MP David Davis said yesterday: ‘It is time for a complete review of police procedures surrounding high-profile sex abuse cases, and the publicity surrounding these cases. Whilst it is important to protect victims and maximise the chances of a successful prosecution, this must not result in the gratuitous destruction of people’s reputations.’
South Yorkshire Police apologised ‘wholeheartedly for the additional anxiety caused’ to Sir Cliff by their ‘initial handling of the media interest’. The force added that its investigation cost around £800,000.
Comment – Page 16