Sir Cliff Richard wins £200,000 after suing the BBC over televised police raid

Sir Cliff Richard has won over £200,000 in damanges after he sued the BBC for broadcasting a raid on his home in 2014.

The pop icon, 77, was awarded £210,000 by High Court judge Mr Justice Mann.

The singer claimed that a “serious invasion” of privacy had occurred after the BBC acted on a tip-off from South Yorkshire Police and offered live coverage of a raid on his apartment in Sunningdale, Berkshire.

The raid formed part of an investigation into a historical child sex abuse allegation.

He will now receive £190,000 in damages and an extra £20,000 in aggravated damages after the BBC’s coverage of the raid was later submitted for an award.

The BBC must pay 65% of the £190,000 damages, while South Yorkshire Police will cover the remaining 35%.

Responding to the verdict, Sir Cliff said he was “choked up”, describing it as “wonderful news”.

Mr Justice Mann said: “Sir Cliff had privacy rights and the BBC infringed those rights without justification.”

South Yorkshire Police previously paid a separate £400,000 in compensation. The BBC previously offered an apology to the singer in 2016.

The raid took place after a man made an allegation to the Metropolitan Police, claiming he had been sexually assaulted by the singer as a child during a religious event featuring preacher Billy Graham at Sheffield United’s Bramall Lane stadium.

The allegation was referred to South Yorkshire Police in July 2014, before the raid occurred in August of the same year.

Sir Cliff was never arrested and prosecutors announced that he would face no charges in June 2016.

You May Also Like

Advertisement

TRENDING

Advertisement

More Stories