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| Max Clifford tells court sex claims are from fantasists | Max Clifford tells court sex claims are from fantasists |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Max Clifford has told a court that claims of sexual or indecent assault against him have been made by "fantasists" seeking compensation. | Max Clifford has told a court that claims of sexual or indecent assault against him have been made by "fantasists" seeking compensation. |
| Under cross-examination, the publicist again dismissed the allegations, calling them "a pack of lies". | Under cross-examination, the publicist again dismissed the allegations, calling them "a pack of lies". |
| Prosecutors say 45 witnesses have made complaints against Mr Clifford. | Prosecutors say 45 witnesses have made complaints against Mr Clifford. |
| Mr Clifford, 70, of Hersham, Surrey, denies 11 counts of indecent assault, relating to seven alleged victims, aged from 14 to 20, between 1966 and 1984. | Mr Clifford, 70, of Hersham, Surrey, denies 11 counts of indecent assault, relating to seven alleged victims, aged from 14 to 20, between 1966 and 1984. |
| Rosina Cottage QC, prosecuting at Southwark Crown Court, said it was no coincidence that so many different women who did not know each other had made similar allegations against Mr Clifford. | Rosina Cottage QC, prosecuting at Southwark Crown Court, said it was no coincidence that so many different women who did not know each other had made similar allegations against Mr Clifford. |
| Asked why they would make such claims, Mr Clifford said: "I can only think it is an opportunity for compensation - to make some money. | Asked why they would make such claims, Mr Clifford said: "I can only think it is an opportunity for compensation - to make some money. |
| "Possibly they are fantasists, possibly they don't like me, they see an opportunity." | "Possibly they are fantasists, possibly they don't like me, they see an opportunity." |
| Diaries | Diaries |
| In other testimony, Mr Clifford denied knowing the whereabouts of his diaries covering key periods in 1977, 1978 and 1986. | In other testimony, Mr Clifford denied knowing the whereabouts of his diaries covering key periods in 1977, 1978 and 1986. |
| Asked what happened to the diaries, he said: "I haven't got a clue." | Asked what happened to the diaries, he said: "I haven't got a clue." |
| He said he had not thought to look for any diaries when allegations of indecent assault were first made because he believed the complainant was "mentally disturbed" and he had "no idea" he possessed diaries going back to 1977. | He said he had not thought to look for any diaries when allegations of indecent assault were first made because he believed the complainant was "mentally disturbed" and he had "no idea" he possessed diaries going back to 1977. |
| "They had been put in a cupboard by a member of staff and the police were aware of them," Mr Clifford said. | "They had been put in a cupboard by a member of staff and the police were aware of them," Mr Clifford said. |
| The police earlier testified that they did not find the diaries covering the periods in question. | The police earlier testified that they did not find the diaries covering the periods in question. |
| Mr Clifford said suggestions he had destroyed the diaries were "total lies and rubbish". | |
| "I knew that these allegations were totally untrue, so there was no need for me to check diaries because I knew it was rubbish and nonsense," he said. | |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |