BBC condemns Cliff Richard over £800,000 bill for lawyers
THE BBC has accused Sir Cliff Richard of running up “grossly unreasonable” legal bills as he sues the corporation over reports that named him as a suspected sex offender.
Sir Cliff is taking action against the BBC and South Yorkshire police over coverage of a raid at his home in Sunningdale, Berks, in 2014. He was later cleared of all allegations.
His lawyers say he suffered “profound and long-lasting” damage as a result of the coverage, in which the BBC broadcast the raid live from a helicopter hovering overhead.
The singer has run up legal costs of more than £800,000, the High Court heard yesterday. The BBC may be liable to pay costs if Sir Cliff wins the case.
At a preliminary hearing, Gavin Millar QC, for the corporation, told a judge in a written submission that the costs incurred were “grossly unreasonable [and] on any view… disproportionate”.
A number of legal issues are being considered before a planned trial. Sir Cliff did not attend the hearing.
A spokesman for the singer said: “Sir Cliff Richard incurred these costs and expenses over more than a two-year period, we say as a direct result of the actions of South Yorkshire Police and the BBC. Ultimately, it will be down to a judge to decide whether or not he should recover such costs and expenses in full or in part, or at all.”
The BBC has said it will defend its coverage, adding that the corporation had reported the singer’s full denial of the allegations “at every stage”.
Sir Cliff ’s home was raided by South Yorkshire Police in August 2014 following a tip from Operation Yewtree, the Metropolitan Police inquiry into historic sexual abuse allegations.
Within minutes of the officers’ arrival, live pictures were being shown on the BBC of detectives removing items from the star’s apartment. It was later revealed that the force had cut a deal with the BBC in order to allow the filming of the raid.
Lawyers for Sir Cliff are demanding BBC editors tell him whether the source of their information was someone working on Operation Yewtree. BBC editors have refused to reveal any details, saying journalists must protect their sources.