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Cliff Richard inquiry was mired in controversy from the start Cliff Richard inquiry was mired in controversy from the start
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From the moment a BBC helicopter hovered over Sir Cliff Richard’s £3m Berkshire mansion broadcasting images of police inside rifling through his belongings, the investigation into allegations of child sexual abuse has been mired in controversy. From the moment a BBC helicopter hovered over Sir Cliff Richard’s £3m Berkshire mansion broadcasting images of police inside riffling through his belongings, the investigation into allegations of child sexual abuse against him has been mired in controversy.
Since that search – which took place at a time of a media frenzy over allegations that celebrities might have been involved in child abuse in the past – the investigation by South Yorkshire police has rarely been out of the spotlight. Since that search, which took place at a time of a media frenzy over claims that celebrities might have been involved in child abuse in the past, the investigation by South Yorkshire police has rarely been out of the spotlight.
Throughout it all, Richard has never been arrested. Instead he willingly attended police interviews in 2014 and 2015 over claims that he had abused young boys as embarrassing details of how the police cooked up a deal with the BBC over the search of his home in August 2014 emerged. Throughout it all, Richard has never been arrested. Instead he willingly attended police interviews in 2014 and 2015 over claims that he had abused young boys, as embarrassing details of how the police cooked up a deal with the BBC over the search of his home in August 2014 emerged. Richard described his experience as “being hung out like live bait” on Thursday.
It was as part of a Commons select committee inquiry into how this deal came about that more details of the ongoing investigation were made public in February last year.
Related: Cliff Richard will not face charges over sexual abuse claimsRelated: Cliff Richard will not face charges over sexual abuse claims
Keith Vaz, the chairman of the home affairs select committee, chose in February 2015 to publish a letter provided to him by the then chief constable of South Yorkshire police, David Crompton, which revealed police had expanded their inquiry into the global pop star. That only fuelled the intense media interest in the investigation. “Ever since the highly publicised and BBC-filmed raid on my home I have chosen not to speak publicly … I have chosen to remain silent … despite the widely shared sense of injustice resulting from the high-profile fumbling of my case from day one. Other than in exceptional circumstances, people who are facing allegations should never be named publicly until charged,” he said.
The inquiry into how the search of the star’s house became public, which was published after a freedom of information request, was damning. It said the fact that the BBC was told about the search at the apartment in August last year, “certainly interfered with his privacy and may well have caused unnecessary distress”. The “hanging out like live bait” was perhaps not just by the media. A decision by the home affairs select committee chair, Keith Vaz, in February last year to publish a letter to the committee from David Crompton, the then chief constable of South Yorkshire, caused more headlines. This from a committee that was investigating why details of an ongoing police investigation were leaked to the media, namely the BBC.
But the investigation into Richard continued into this year, with four allegations being investigated. One source suggested much of the alleged evidence came from a prison source. In the letter Crompton revealed that police had expanded their inquiry into the global pop star.
Police ploughed on, and in May this year they passed a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service. The inquiry into how the search of the star’s house became public was damning. It said the fact that the BBC was told about it in August 2014 “certainly interfered with his privacy and may well have caused unnecessary distress”.
The speed with which the CPS has announced that there would be no charges is perhaps damning. There will now be serious questions raised over the police investigation, its proportionality, the testing of any allegations and whether any attempts were made to corroborate them before mounting such a high-profile raid of the star’s home. The investigation into Richard continued into this year, and nine allegations were examined. Five did not meet the threshold to pass on to the Crown Prosecution Service, South Yorkshire police said on Thursday. The Guardian understands at least one allegation came from a prison inmate, whose claims were littered with allegations about a number of other high-profile individuals.
Richard has throughout issued statements denying any involvement in child sexual abuse. In February 2015, following the release by Vaz of Crompton’s letter, the star expressed his frustration during what he said was “an unbelievably difficult period” in his life. Police continued to investigate with CPS guidance, and in May this year they passed a file of evidence to the prosecutors that was demolished by lawyers within weeks when they found insufficient evidence to prosecute Richard.
“I have no idea where these absurd and untrue allegations come from,” he said. “The police have not disclosed details to me. I have never, in my life, assaulted anyone and I remain confident that the truth will prevail. I have cooperated fully with the police, and will, of course, continue to do so. The speed with which the CPS announced that there would be no charges is damning. There will now be serious questions raised over the police investigation, its proportionality, the testing of any allegations and whether any attempts were made to corroborate them before such a public raid of the star’s home.
“Beyond stating that the allegations are completely false, it would not be appropriate for me to say anything further until the investigation has concluded, which I hope will be very soon.” The MP David Davis said that in light of another investigation that failed to result in prosecution it was time for a “complete review of police procedures surrounding high-profile sex abuse cases and the publicity surrounding these cases”.
The decision not to lay any charges against Richard, comes only months after the Metropolitan police closed down its high-profile inquiry into allegations that a ring of Westminster paedophiles was involved in the sexual abuse and murder of young boys – allegations which stemmed from one individual and were never corroborated by other complainants. “Whilst it is important to protect victims and maximise the chances of a successful prosecution, this must not result in the gratuitous destruction of people’s reputation,” he said.
David Davis MP said: “In light of another high-profile arrest which resulted in no prosecution, it is time for a complete review of police procedures surrounding high profile sex abuse cases, and the publicity surrounding these cases. Richard said he was “obviously thrilled that the vile accusations and the resulting investigation” had been brought to a close.
“Whilst it is important to protect victims and maximise the chances of a successful prosecution, this must not result in the gratuitous destruction of people’s reputation.” He said, however, that an injustice remained. “I feel very strongly that no innocent person should be treated in this way. I know the truth and in some people’s eyes the CPS announcement doesn’t go far enough, because it doesn’t expressly state that I am innocent, which of course I am.”
Since the revelations about Jimmy Savile, there have been notable successes in the investigation and prosecution of powerful individuals whose dark past has finally been exposed. But the trashing of the reputations of innocent individuals is likely to cause great concern. The decision not to bring charges against Richard comes only months after the Metropolitan police closed down an inquiry into allegations that a ring of Westminster paedophiles was involved in the sexual abuse and murder of young boys – allegations stemming from one individual that were never corroborated by other complainants.
There are also questions over the proportionality in times of austerity of some of the ongoing inquiries into non-recent child sexual abuse by high-profile individuals. Since the revelations about Jimmy Savile, there have been notable successes in the investigation and prosecution of powerful individuals whose dark past has finally been exposed. They include Gary Glitter and the paediatrician Michael Salmon. Richard, however, said it was the tarnishing of the reputations of the innocent that caused him and others great concern.
While the investigation into Richard is now over, a multimillion pound inquiry by Wiltshire police into the late Sir Edward Heath continues. The force recently recruited more staff for the investigation, in part to support plans to examine the Heath archive at the Bodleian Libraries, which is made up of about 4,500 boxes of material. While the investigation into him is now over, a multimillion-pound inquiry by Wiltshire police into the late Sir Edward Heath continues. The force recently recruited more staff for the investigation, in part to support plans to examine the Heath archive at the Bodleian Libraries, which is made up of about 4,500 boxes of material.
Prosecutors were forced to issue new guidelines to deter officers from sending them files of evidence on dead people for charging decisions. Prosecutors were forced to issue new guidelines last month to deter officers from sending them files of evidence on dead people for charging decisions.
Senior police officers have stated this was being done in order to help complainants achieve some closure in the knowledge that, had their alleged abuser been alive, he would or would not have been charged. But since the CPS guidance, forces are no longer seeking such decisions. Senior police officers have stated this was being done in order to help complainants achieve some closure in the knowledge that, had their alleged abuser been alive, he would or would not have been charged. Since the CPS guidance, however, forces are no longer seeking such decisions.
For adult victims of child sexual abuse, the focus both in the media and apparently by police on powerful people is an unwanted distraction from the reality of child sexual abuse – that it is mostly familial, or carried out by someone known to the victim – their teacher, priest, scout leader. For adult victims of child sexual abuse, the focus on high-profile individuals is an unwanted distraction from the reality: that perpetrators are mostly family members or someone known to the victim.
As Operation Hydrant, the overarching inquiry into non-recent child sexual abuse, continues to build its database of cases, the investigations being carried out are increasingly into this kind of child abuse and not allegations against high-profile individuals. As Operation Hydrant, the overarching inquiry into non-recent child sexual abuse, continues to build its database of cases, the investigations carried out are increasingly into this kind of child abuse and not allegations against high-profile individuals.
The scale of those inquiries is huge. Last month the Guardian reported that the Goddard inquiry into child sexual abuse was referring new cases to Operation Hydrant at the rate of 100 a month. The scale of those inquiries is huge. The Guardian reported last month that the Goddard inquiry into child sexual abuse was referring new cases to Operation Hydrant at the rate of 100 a month. It is a figure that is only likely to increase.