Max Clifford’s family try to overturn his sex conviction

THE judge at publicist Max Clifford’s sexual assault trial made a ‘significant error’ by not asking the jury to consider the issue of consent, the Court of Appeal was told yesterday.

Lawyers for the late showbusiness agent’s family said private detectives also had evidence that threw doubt on the ‘unsafe’ convictions.

Clifford, from Surrey, began the appeal before he died aged 74 while serving an eight-year prison term. His daughter, Louise, has remortgaged her home to continue the legal action.

Clifford was jailed in May 2014 after being convicted of eight indecent assaults, carried out between 1977 and 1984, against four women. He died in December 2017, still protesting his innocence.

Miss Clifford yesterday went to the Court of Appeal after judges gave the go-ahead for a fresh challenge.

Sarah Forshaw QC said the jury at Southwark Crown Court should have been able to consider whether the women Clifford allegedly assaulted had consented. She branded one victim a showbiz ‘wannabe’ and criticised another for ‘mumbling’ instead of speaking clearly as she tried to fight Clifford off.

Lady Justice Rafferty, Mr Justice Goss and Sir Brian Keith, reserved their judgment.