Cliff Richard to sue the BBC

Pop singer Sir Cliff Richard is reported to be planning to sue the BBC and South Yorkshire Police for "colluding" to broadcast a police raid on his home.
Officers investigating historic sex allegations against the singer launched an investigation in 2014, which was filmed by the BBC.
Sir Cliff, 75, was told last month that he would not face criminal proceedings.
In 2014, a Parliamentary Committee found the BBC had acted "properly".
The BBC's helicopter and television cameras attend a police search of Sir Cliff Richard's penthouse flat in Berkshire in August 2014.
But Sir Cliff was not arrested, nor charged, and last month the case was dismissed by the Crown Prosecution Service.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-36757230


Personally i think suing for a million is being generous .

[Russ]

OK I understand he considered it an invasion of privacy but the police were acting on what they apparently believed was good information so surely they were only doing what happens when they raid the home/property of others suspected of crimes? OK yes it was shown on tv but has he not watched programmes like Police Camera Action etc?

[Osem]

The difference is that this was broadcast live before any charges were made and the worldwide damage to CR's reputation and business interests would have been huge from that moment on and quite possibly permanent. That's why he'll be suing, for damages and good luck to him. It's not quite the same for some previously unknown person shown on a TV show but I bet a good number of cases intended for broadcast are dropped before ever being aired because the individuals concerned have complained that they were innocent.

[denphone]

Yes the BBC and South Yorkshire Police had no hesitation doing what they did and now they have to accept the consequences of their poorly advised actions from that day.

Originally Posted by Russ

OK I understand he considered it an invasion of privacy but the police were acting on what they apparently believed was good information so surely they were only doing what happens when they raid the home/property of others suspected of crimes? OK yes it was shown on tv but has he not watched programmes like Police Camera Action etc?

He believes and probably with good cause that the BBC and S yorks police colluded to broadcast the invasion and search of his property .If there was no collusion then how did the BBC's helicopter and an armada of BBC cameras and reporters be there at the exact time the police where there .Don't forget he was not arrested or charged with anything

[Gavin78]

Just goes to show how corrupt the police are or someone in the force was leaking information prior to this. either way the police allowed it

Originally Posted by Gavin78

Just goes to show how corrupt the police are or someone in the force was leaking information prior to this. either way the police allowed it

and the BBC,a publicly funded organisation took advantage of it .The BBC are supposed to set the bar in journalism not scrape the gutter

[Mr K]

Fair enough to sue, it stank of a set up as soon as the BBC showed the pictures, looked like a Hollywood film set. Hopefully he'll be giving the money to charity if when he wins.

[Osem]

Singer Sir Cliff Richard is suing the BBC and South Yorkshire Police after being investigated over allegations of historical sexual assault.
Legal papers were filed at the High Court in London on Thursday.
They list Sir Cliff as a claimant, and the BBC and chief constable of South Yorkshire Police as defendants.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37580723

Good and so would I in his situation. The way it was handled was an utter disgrace.

[TheDaddy]

Originally Posted by Osem

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37580723

Good and so would I in his situation. The way it was handled was an utter disgrace.

It is good, the bbc and the police behaved disgracefully and hopefully those responsible will get what they deserve

[denphone]

Originally Posted by TheDaddy

It is good, the bbc and the police behaved disgracefully and hopefully those responsible will get what they deserve

Absolutely as the way they acted was nothing short of disgraceful.

[heero_yuy]

I hope he takes them for every penny they've got. Their behaviour was disgraceful.

Originally Posted by Russ

OK I understand he considered it an invasion of privacy but the police were acting on what they apparently believed was good information so surely they were only doing what happens when they raid the home/property of others suspected of crimes? OK yes it was shown on tv but has he not watched programmes like Police Camera Action etc?

Police, Camera, Action isn't broadcast live, and the owners of the houses that get busted have their faces pixelated unless they have been convicted of a crime by the time the show airs, or have given their permission for their faces to be shown.

The police did this because in the heat of the celebrity paedophile scandal they wanted to be seen to be Doing Something, and because, I suspect, they were fishing for witnesses. Historic accusations like this are extremely difficult to prove. To succeed, a case needs multiple victims who don't know each other and have had no contact with each other to come forward independently and give statements against the suspect that show consistent patterns of offending.

Clearly, based on recent developments, the police did not have that kind of evidence, and that makes the whole house raid look like a massive fishing expedition. To televise it and name the suspect based on such flimsy evidence was outrageous and the BBC and South Yorks Police really ought to be getting their apologies and generous out-of-court settlements lined up right now.

[Osem]

Originally Posted by Chris

Police, Camera, Action isn't broadcast live, and the owners of the houses that get busted have their faces pixelated unless they have been convicted of a crime by the time the show airs, or have given their permission for their faces to be shown.

The police did this because in the heat of the celebrity paedophile scandal they wanted to be seen to be Doing Something, and because, I suspect, they were fishing for witnesses. Historic accusations like this are extremely difficult to prove. To succeed, a case needs multiple victims who don't know each other and have had no contact with each other to come forward independently and give statements against the suspect that show consistent patterns of offending.

Clearly, based on recent developments, the police did not have that kind of evidence, and that makes the whole house raid look like a massive fishing expedition. To televise it and name the suspect based on such flimsy evidence was outrageous and the BBC and South Yorks Police really ought to be getting their apologies and generous out-of-court settlements lined up right now.

I'd like to see a few heads roll but they'd probably just get early retirement and/or generous pay-offs...

[denphone]

Originally Posted by Osem

I'd like to see a few heads roll but they'd probably just get early retirement and/or generous pay-offs...

Yes that would not be a surprise given previous history.