Sir Cliff Denies Sex Crimes

It’s understood the accusation against the perennial pop idol relate to an event that American evangelist preacher Billy Graham held in Sheffield in 1985.

Richard – who has sold 250 million records in a career spanning 50 years — also said that rumours of his involvement in such an incident have been circulating for months but he decided not to dignify them with a response.

The news broke as South Yorkshire Police conducted a search of Richard’s home in Sunningdale, Berkshire, assisted by officers from the Metropolitan Police, in the afternoon of Aug. 14.

The Yorkshire force was involved because that’s where the alleged offense allegedly took place. A police spokesman told BBC News that there had been no need to force entry to the property, although the singing star is reportedly holidaying with his sister in Portugal.

In a statement  Richard complained that the press appeared to have been tipped off that his Berkshire home was to be searched, although he hadn’t been given any prior notice of it.

“The police attended my apartment in Berkshire today without notice, except it would appear to the press”, he said. Various reporters and camera crews – and even a helicopter – were present when the police arrived.

The BBC showed footage of the police arriving. In the UK it was once commonplace for the police to give the media the heads-up when such a raid was about to take place, but six years ago that changed when the High Court heard how The Sun was present when police searched the home of Harry Redknapp.

Redknapp, who was manager of Tottenham Hotspur soccer club at the time but now managers Queens Park Rangers, was being investigated for fraud. The High Court said it was understandable that Redknapp complained about the newspaper being present. The investigation in to Richard isn’t connected to Operation Yewtree, the operation set up after the Jimmy Savile scandal.