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Max Clifford 'never forced himself on anybody' Max Clifford begins his evidence in indecent assault trial
(35 minutes later)
Publicist Max Clifford told police he had "never forced" himself on anyone and was "never into young girls", Southwark Crown Court has heard. Max Clifford is giving evidence for the first time in his trial against claims he indecently assaulted seven women.
He said he might have had sexual activity in his office but only with consenting women above the legal age. Defence barrister Richard Horwell QC addressed the jury, saying they had only heard one side of the story.
The court heard extracts from police interviews with Mr Clifford when he was first questioned after his arrest in December 2012. Mr Horwell also said "details" had "caught out" the prosecution witnesses' claims.
He denies 11 counts of indecent assault. Mr Clifford, 70, from Hersham, Surrey, denies 11 counts of indecent assault relating to alleged victims, aged from 14 to 20 - between 1966 and 1984.
Mr Clifford has entered the witness box as the defence begins. Mr Horwell began his defence case by picking holes in the prosecution witnesses' "contradictory" evidence over the size of Mr Clifford's penis.
He said the evidence from his seven accusers about the size of the publicist's penis ranged from "freakishly small" to "enormous", and as such none could be relied upon.
The court heard that Mr Clifford's penis was in fact of an "average size".
'Repulsive''Repulsive'
Earlier the jury was read parts of 2012 police interviews with Mr Clifford. Earlier in the month the trial heard from a prosecution witness who claimed that Mr Clifford had indecently assaulted her in his car after meeting her at a Wimpy restaurant.
When officers asked what sort of sexual activity had occurred in Mr Clifford's office, he told them: "Slap and tickle, kissing and cuddling, I might have had oral sex occasionally." But giving evidence on Wednesday, Mr Clifford denied spending time in Wimpy in 1966, and said that at the time he did not have a car and could not drive.
Earlier the court heard extracts from police interviews with Mr Clifford when he was first questioned after his arrest in December 2012.
During those interviews when police asked what sort of sexual activity had occurred in Mr Clifford's office, he said: "Slap and tickle, kissing and cuddling, I might have had oral sex occasionally."
He also said he had "never forced" himself on anyone, and was "never into young girls".
He told police that he "didn't need a casting couch", and that the 60s, 70s and 80s had been an "active time".He told police that he "didn't need a casting couch", and that the 60s, 70s and 80s had been an "active time".
The jury also heard that when he was confronted over a claim he had sexually assaulted a 12-year-old girl in a Jacuzzi in Spain - which is not part of this trial as the alleged offence happened abroad - Mr Clifford said: "It's repulsive, it's totally untrue."The jury also heard that when he was confronted over a claim he had sexually assaulted a 12-year-old girl in a Jacuzzi in Spain - which is not part of this trial as the alleged offence happened abroad - Mr Clifford said: "It's repulsive, it's totally untrue."
Mr Clifford, 70, from Hersham, Surrey, denies 11 counts of indecent assault - relating to seven alleged victims aged from 14 to 20 - between 1966 and 1984.
The trial continues.The trial continues.