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| Max Clifford begins giving evidence in indecent assault trial | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Max Clifford is giving evidence for the first time in his trial against claims he indecently assaulted seven women. | Max Clifford is giving evidence for the first time in his trial against claims he indecently assaulted seven women. |
| Addressing the jury, defence barrister Richard Horwell QC said they had only heard one side of the story. | |
| Mr Horwell also cast doubt on evidence given so far, saying "details" had "caught out" the prosecution witnesses. | |
| 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. | |
| Mr Horwell began his defence case by outlining the prosecution witnesses' "contradictory" evidence relating to the size of Mr Clifford's penis. | |
| He said the evidence from the seven accusers about the size of the publicist's penis ranged from "freakishly small" to "enormous" and, as such, none could be relied upon. | |
| "None of these four witnesses is correct," said Mr Horwell. "That's because Mr Clifford has an average-sized penis. That will be his evidence." | |
| 'Repulsive' | 'Repulsive' |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. | 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." | 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 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." |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |