Sir Cliff Richard settles legal fight with South Yorkshire Police over suspected sex offender reports

Sir Cliff Richard has settled a legal dispute with South Yorkshire Police.
PA

Singer Sir Cliff Richard has settled a legal fight with police.

The pop star had sued South Yorkshire Police and the BBC over reports naming him as a suspected sex offender nearly three years ago.

On Friday, a High Court judge was told the case had been settled.

Lawyers told Mr Justice Mann at a hearing in London that Sir Cliff and force bosses had come to terms.

The legal action against the BBC and police came over coverage of a raid at his apartment in Sunningdale, Berkshire, in August 2014.

He had said his right to respect for private life had been infringed and he wanted "very substantial" damages.

The BBC outside Sir Cliff's home in 2014.
PA

Sir Cliff and the BBC remain in dispute as editors said they will "defend ourselves vigorously".

A spokeswoman said the BBC had reported Sir Cliff's "full denial of the allegations at every stage".

South Yorkshire Police have already apologised "wholeheartedly for the additional anxiety caused" by the force's "initial handling of the media interest" in its investigation into the singer.

Mr Justice Mann has heard that in late 2013 a man made an allegation to the Metropolitan Police, saying he had been sexually assaulted by Sir Cliff at Sheffield United's Bramall Lane football stadium when a child in 1985.

Metropolitan Police officers passed the allegation to South Yorkshire Police in July 2014.

Sir Cliff denied the allegation "as soon as it was brought to his attention" and in June 2016 prosecutors announced that he would face no charges.

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