This article is from the source 'independent' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/cliff-richard-to-face-no-charges-over-sexual-abuse-allegations-cps-says-a7085001.html
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Cliff Richard to face no charges over sexual abuse allegations, CPS says | Cliff Richard to face no charges over sexual abuse allegations, CPS says |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Cliff Richard will face no further action over allegations of historical sexual abuse after a South Yorkshire Police investigation found there was "insufficient evidence to prosecute". | Cliff Richard will face no further action over allegations of historical sexual abuse after a South Yorkshire Police investigation found there was "insufficient evidence to prosecute". |
| It is almost two years since the 75-year-old singer's home was raided by police, and the force sent its "full file" of evidence to the Crown Prosecution service in mid-May. | |
| But after reviewing the file, the CPS has decided to take no further action against Richard over allegations he groped young boys. | |
| In a statement, the CPS's Martin Goldman said the service had "carefully reviewed evidence relating to claims of non-recent sexual offences dating between 1958 and 1983 made by four men". | |
| “We have decided that there is insufficient evidence to prosecute." | |
| Mr Goldman said the CPS worked with police to "minimise the time needed to reach a decision". | |
| The Police and Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley, Antony Stansfield, had said Richard was left in the dark over abuse claims for an "unacceptable" period of time. | |
| During the investigation, Richard volunteered to be interviewed twice by police, the first time after a man came forward to claim he had been groped by the singer at a Christian rally in 1985. | |
| It draws to a close a difficult period for Richard, which began very publically with the police raid on his £3 million home in August 2014. | |
| South Yorkshire Police was later criticised by the Home Affairs Select Committee for tipping off a reporter about the timing of the raid, which ended up being shown in dramatic helicopter footage on the BBC. | |
| The MPs said nobody should have to watch their home being raided live on TV, and that Richard was owed an apology. |