View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

Sir Cliff Richard must wait to hear verdict on privacy battle with BBC over police raid coverage

By PA Mediapoint

Sir Cliff Richard is waiting to hear whether he has won a fight with the BBC over coverage of a police raid on his home following a historical child sex assault allegation.

A judge on Wednesday finished overseeing a High Court trial in London which has lasted more than three weeks.

Mr Justice Mann said he would deliver a verdict on a date to be fixed.

Lawyers representing Sir Cliff told the judge that he was not asking for “special treatment”. They said he wanted to be treated like “anybody else”.

Sir Cliff, 77, has sued the BBC over coverage of a South Yorkshire Police search on his home in August 2014 and wants damages at the “top end” of the scale.

He has told Mr Justice Mann that coverage, which involved the use of a helicopter, was a “very serious invasion” of his privacy.

The BBC disputes his claims. Bosses say coverage of the search of the apartment in Sunningdale, Berkshire, was accurate and in good faith.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

The judge has heard how in late 2013 a man made an allegation to the Metropolitan Police, saying he had been sexually assaulted by Sir Cliff at Sheffield United’s Bramall Lane stadium as a child in 1985.

Metropolitan Police officers passed the allegation to South Yorkshire Police in July 2014.

Sir Cliff denied the allegation and in June 2016 prosecutors announced he would face no charges.

A BBC spokesman has said the BBC reported Sir Cliff’s “full denial of the allegations at every stage”.

Mr Justice Mann heard that South Yorkshire Police have already agreed to pay Sir Cliff £400,000 after settling a claim he brought against the force.

The singer initially sued the BBC and South Yorkshire Police after complaining about coverage of the raid.

Barrister Jason Beer QC, who led South Yorkshire Police’s legal team, told the judge: “South Yorkshire Police accepts its conduct was unlawful and was the cause of damage to [Sir Clif]).

“But it was the conduct of the BBC that caused most of the damage, and it was the BBC that was most blameworthy.”

Sir Cliff was not at Wednesday’s hearing.

Picture: Yui Mok/PA Wire

Topics in this article : ,

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network