Max Clifford charged with 11 indecent assaults

[klr]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22313286

PR guru Max Clifford has been charged with 11 indecent assaults allegedly committed between 1966 and 1985.

The alleged offences relate to seven different women and girls ranging in age from 14 to 19 years old.

Mr Clifford, 70, from Surrey, who says the allegations are "completely false", will appear in court next month.

He was arrested in Operation Yewtree - set up after claims were made against Jimmy Savile - although his arrest was unrelated to the former BBC DJ.

Operation Yewtree has three strands. One concerns Savile's crimes exclusively, while another relates to allegations against Savile and others.

The third strand, under which Mr Clifford was arrested, concentrates on accusations unconnected to the Savile investigations but which emerged as a result of the publicity surrounding Savile.

Mr Clifford was not charged over three further allegations as there was "insufficient evidence to authorise charges", the Crown Prosecution Service said.

Mr Clifford denied the allegations against him.

He said: "The allegations in respect of which I have been charged are completely false and I have made this clear to the police during many, many hours of interviews.

"Nevertheless a decision has been taken to charge me with 11 offences involving seven women, the most recent of which is 28 years ago and the oldest 47 years ago.

"I have never indecently assaulted anyone in my life and this will become clear during the course of the proceedings."

Mr Clifford, who was first arrested on 6 December 2012, described the situation as "living a 24/7 nightmare".

Later speaking to Sky News, he added that since the charges had emerged, he had received hundreds of calls from people wishing to express their support for himself and his family.

"This has made it so much easier to cope with," he said.

Scotland Yard said he was charged after answering bail at a London police station following advice from the CPS.

Mr Clifford was later released on bail and is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 28 May.

Now, if only he can find a good PR person ...

[mistermack]

Isn't it funny, that these people are coming out with allegations against RICH people.
Nothing to do with the size of the payouts that might result.

Nothing at all.

[klr]

Isn't it funny, that these people are coming out with allegations against RICH people.
Nothing to do with the size of the payouts that might result.

Nothing at all.

The rich people were generally those who had the power to abuse, especially in a serial manner.

[Rum]

Clifford has always given me the creeps. Not saying that makes him guilty or anything. Just a creepy guy.

[Audley Strange]

Sometimes witch-hunts may uncover the odd master of the dark arts.

Still despite my own personal intense disgust at the existence of Max Clifford, I'm not sure he is as stupid as many might think. TBH I would not be surprised if he paid people to make such false claims in order to clear his name.

[Rum]

I think that is too Machiavellian even for him!

[klr]

I think that is too Machiavellian even for him!

True. And that sort of mud would stick, something which Clifford knows better than most.

[cronus]

He'll need a good PR agent.

[klr]

He'll need a good PR agent.

Obvious joke was so obvious it was in the OP

[cronus]

He'll need a good PR agent.

Obvious joke was so obvious it was in the OP

I'm not reading all that with this throbbing hangover.

[En_Route]

Isn't it funny, that these people are coming out with allegations against RICH people.
Nothing to do with the size of the payouts that might result.

Nothing at all.

The rich people were generally those who had the power to abuse, especially in a serial manner.

Sexual exploitation has never been the sole preserve of the affluent or influential, although of course the latter have usually been able to be more blatant and wanton in the indulgence of their proclivities.The fact that all of those who are now the subject of accusations seem to be people who are still worth suing might equally suggest that the victims are genuine but pragmatic and nobody is bothered to pursue those from whom financial redress is unlikely to be forthcoming.

[mistermack]

Isn't it funny, that these people are coming out with allegations against RICH people.
Nothing to do with the size of the payouts that might result.

Nothing at all.

The rich people were generally those who had the power to abuse, especially in a serial manner.

Naaaaaaaaah.

Being skint never held me back. In fact, rich people have more to lose.

Plenty of poor people do indecent assaults. It's access, not money or power, that presents the opportunity.

[En_Route]

Access presents opportunity but power and social standing most readily procure silence .Or certainly did in more deferential and trusting times.

[Rum]

As someone who used to deal with these issues as a social worker many moons ago I would say that the main two factors are power over an individual and access to them in private. They go together.

[Xamonas Chegwé]

I think that is too Machiavellian even for him!

True. And that sort of mud would stick, something which Clifford knows better than most.

He's also a well-known proponent of the "no such thing as bad publicity" meme. Wonder if he's begun to revise that onion yet?