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| Max Clifford says sexual assault charges against him are 'nonsense' | Max Clifford says sexual assault charges against him are 'nonsense' |
| (14 days later) | |
| Max Clifford, the celebrity publicist, has called indecent assault charges against him "a load of nonsense" and said none of his clients had deserted him. | Max Clifford, the celebrity publicist, has called indecent assault charges against him "a load of nonsense" and said none of his clients had deserted him. |
| Clifford said his friends, family and clients had offered tremendous support. "All of my clients have remained loyal. I'm working with all of my clients on a regular daily basis. I'm used to dealing with dramas, mostly other people's. | Clifford said his friends, family and clients had offered tremendous support. "All of my clients have remained loyal. I'm working with all of my clients on a regular daily basis. I'm used to dealing with dramas, mostly other people's. |
| "I faced up to what was potentially life-threatening cancer five or six years ago and it was six months before I knew I was going to be OK," he told Sky News on Saturday. | "I faced up to what was potentially life-threatening cancer five or six years ago and it was six months before I knew I was going to be OK," he told Sky News on Saturday. |
| "Most of my life I've lived under very bright blue skies … This is something I've got to face up with and I've got to deal with. If nothing but the truth comes out, I'm going to be absolutely fine." | "Most of my life I've lived under very bright blue skies … This is something I've got to face up with and I've got to deal with. If nothing but the truth comes out, I'm going to be absolutely fine." |
| Clifford said he found it hard to accept that women he knew up to 40 years ago can make complaints against him and remain anonymous. "Obviously it's been horrible for my wife Jo, my daughter Louise, people close to me. I think people know me for the person I am. They know there's no way I have ever assaulted anyone in my life." Clifford has been charged with 11 indecent assaults of girls and young women, including a 14-year-old. | Clifford said he found it hard to accept that women he knew up to 40 years ago can make complaints against him and remain anonymous. "Obviously it's been horrible for my wife Jo, my daughter Louise, people close to me. I think people know me for the person I am. They know there's no way I have ever assaulted anyone in my life." Clifford has been charged with 11 indecent assaults of girls and young women, including a 14-year-old. |
| The charges related to offences allegedly committed between 1966 and 1985 and were laid in the course of Operation Yewtree, the police investigation which was set up following the revelation of the sexual offences carried out by Jimmy Savile. | The charges related to offences allegedly committed between 1966 and 1985 and were laid in the course of Operation Yewtree, the police investigation which was set up following the revelation of the sexual offences carried out by Jimmy Savile. |
| The Crown Prosecution Service on Friday announced it had authorised police to charge Clifford, who was arrested at his Surrey home in December on suspicion of sexual offences. Clifford said the charges were "completely false" and vowed to clear his name in court. | The Crown Prosecution Service on Friday announced it had authorised police to charge Clifford, who was arrested at his Surrey home in December on suspicion of sexual offences. Clifford said the charges were "completely false" and vowed to clear his name in court. |
| Alison Saunders, chief crown prosecutor for CPS London, said: "We have carefully considered the evidence gathered as part of Operation Yewtree in relation to Max Clifford, who was initially arrested on 6 December 2012 over allegations of sexual offences. | Alison Saunders, chief crown prosecutor for CPS London, said: "We have carefully considered the evidence gathered as part of Operation Yewtree in relation to Max Clifford, who was initially arrested on 6 December 2012 over allegations of sexual offences. |
| "Having completed our review, we have concluded that there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest for Mr Clifford to be charged with 11 offences of indecent assault relating to seven complainants. | "Having completed our review, we have concluded that there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest for Mr Clifford to be charged with 11 offences of indecent assault relating to seven complainants. |
| "We have also decided there is insufficient evidence to authorise charges in relation to three separate allegations. These decisions were taken in accordance with the code for crown prosecutors and our guidance for prosecutors on sexual offences." | "We have also decided there is insufficient evidence to authorise charges in relation to three separate allegations. These decisions were taken in accordance with the code for crown prosecutors and our guidance for prosecutors on sexual offences." |
| Clifford will appear at Westminster magistrates court on 28 May. He faces up to 10 yearsin prison if convicted. | Clifford will appear at Westminster magistrates court on 28 May. He faces up to 10 yearsin prison if convicted. |
| As part of Operation Yewtree, police have been looking into categories of alleged offences: those involving only Savile, those involving Savile and others, and those which had no direct link to Savile. Clifford's arrest was understood to have been part of the third strand. | As part of Operation Yewtree, police have been looking into categories of alleged offences: those involving only Savile, those involving Savile and others, and those which had no direct link to Savile. Clifford's arrest was understood to have been part of the third strand. |
| The charges include an indecent assault against a 14-year-old girl in 1966, and indecent assault against an 18-year-old woman in 1974/75. Clifford also faces three charges of indecent assault on a 15-year-old girl in 1977/78 and indecent assault against a 19-year-old woman in 1978. | The charges include an indecent assault against a 14-year-old girl in 1966, and indecent assault against an 18-year-old woman in 1974/75. Clifford also faces three charges of indecent assault on a 15-year-old girl in 1977/78 and indecent assault against a 19-year-old woman in 1978. |
| He is also charged with two indecent assaults against a girl, aged 16 or 17, in 1981/82, indecent assault against a 19-year-old woman in 1980/81, and two indecent assaults against an 18-year-old woman in 1984/85. | He is also charged with two indecent assaults against a girl, aged 16 or 17, in 1981/82, indecent assault against a 19-year-old woman in 1980/81, and two indecent assaults against an 18-year-old woman in 1984/85. |
| Clifford, who has become a household name for selling "kiss and tell" stories relating to the rich and famous, has wielded major influence on Fleet Street for decades. | Clifford, who has become a household name for selling "kiss and tell" stories relating to the rich and famous, has wielded major influence on Fleet Street for decades. |
| After training as a journalist, he moved into what was then the emerging sector of press relations, starting out at EMI, where he was involved in early publicity for the Beatles. | After training as a journalist, he moved into what was then the emerging sector of press relations, starting out at EMI, where he was involved in early publicity for the Beatles. |
| His company, Max Clifford Associates, was established while he was in his 20s and has represented figures ranging from Frank Sinatra to Muhammad Ali and, in recent times, Jade Goody and Simon Cowell. | His company, Max Clifford Associates, was established while he was in his 20s and has represented figures ranging from Frank Sinatra to Muhammad Ali and, in recent times, Jade Goody and Simon Cowell. |
| In the course of acting for another client in the 1980s, Clifford is credited with inventing the story that led to the cult Sun headline "Freddie Starr Ate My Hamster". | In the course of acting for another client in the 1980s, Clifford is credited with inventing the story that led to the cult Sun headline "Freddie Starr Ate My Hamster". |
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