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Max Clifford trial: Topless women in office 'a joke' Max Clifford: I was greedy for having affairs
(about 7 hours later)
Max Clifford has told a court that he had topless women in his office as part of a practical joke. Max Clifford has told his trial he was "greedy" and "liked women" but was not interested in "silly little girls".
The publicist said it was "very unusual, but it did happen". The publicist said he was "never frustrated" because he had a "loving relationship" with his wife, and several long-standing mistresses.
The 70-year-old from Hersham, Surrey, who is on trial for 11 counts of indecent assault, also told Southwark Crown Court he had no interest in "silly little girls". "I like women, is that a crime?" he asked Southwark Crown Court.
He denies all the charges, which relate to seven alleged victims, aged from 14 to 20 between 1966 and 1984. 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 Clifford was questioned about two female employees, who were 17 and 18 when they started working for him and with whom he went on to have affairs.
'Guilty secret''Guilty secret'
Under cross examination Mr Clifford told Southwark Crown Court: "I was very happy with my sex life and I didn't need to impress young girls to achieve any kind of sexual satisfaction or interest or stimulation.
"It has never been me, that's not the person I ever was. I happen to like women, yes sure, and I have had some wonderful relationships in my life. I like women, is that a crime?"
He added that he was "greedy" for having a wife, as well as having affairs, and said: "But I was never frustrated and never interested in silly little girls."
Mr Clifford was questioned about two female employees, who were 17 and 18 when they started working for him and with whom he went on to have affairs.
"I got to know [them] and the relationships developed naturally," he told the court."I got to know [them] and the relationships developed naturally," he told the court.
The publicist also denied suggestions he kept a letter sent by one of his accusers as a "trophy". Mr Clifford went on to deny suggestions he kept a letter sent by one of his accusers as a "trophy".
Asked if kept the letter as a "guilty secret", he said: "If I had a guilty secret about that letter I would have destroyed it and not showed it to my wife and daughter."Asked if kept the letter as a "guilty secret", he said: "If I had a guilty secret about that letter I would have destroyed it and not showed it to my wife and daughter."
The letter was found by police in his bedside table.The letter was found by police in his bedside table.
Mr Clifford acknowledged he was involved in a bet between comedians Freddie Starr and Lennie Bennett in which he had to entice a female traffic warden to his office and take revealing photos of her with the promise of a possible television appearance. 'Nudity'
'Easy game' The PR guru also also admitted he had at one time had topless women in his office as part of a practical joke.
Mr Clifford said there had been "various parts of nudity over 30 or 40 years" in his office, describing an incident where he and comedians Freddie Starr and Lennie Bennett arranged for several girls to be sitting topless in his office when a producer for Morecambe and Wise visited.
Mr Clifford also acknowledged he was involved in a bet - again with Freddie Starr and Lennie Bennett - in which he had to entice a female traffic warden to his office and take revealing photos of her with the promise of a possible television appearance.
The court heard a passage from his biography in which he said he was able to take topless photos of the woman.The court heard a passage from his biography in which he said he was able to take topless photos of the woman.
He had described the bet as a "good game" and "so easy I played it several times".He had described the bet as a "good game" and "so easy I played it several times".
The PR guru also told the court he had never been "sexually frustrated", that he had been "very lucky" and had been in several "loving relationships" with women. The trial continues.
Under cross-examination by prosecutor Rosina Cottage QC, he said he had no interest in or attraction to young girls.
"I was very happy with my sex life and I didn't need to impress young girls to achieve any kind of sexual satisfaction or interest or stimulation," he said.
"It has never been me, that's not the person I ever was. I happen to like women, yes sure, and I have had some wonderful relationships in my life. I like women, is that a crime?"
Mr Clifford said he was "greedy" in that he had a wife while having affairs with other women.
"But I was never frustrated and never interested in silly little girls," he told the court.