Sir Cliff Richard timeline: How events unfolded

Sir Cliff Richard has won his High Court privacy case against the BBC over its coverage of a police raid on his home.
By The Newsroom
Published 18th Jul 2018, 11:05 BST
Updated 18th Jul 2018, 11:07 BST
Sir Cliff Richard arrives at the Rolls Building in London to hear the ruling of the dispute that he has with the BBC. Photo: Victoria Jones/PA WireSir Cliff Richard arrives at the Rolls Building in London to hear the ruling of the dispute that he has with the BBC. Photo: Victoria Jones/PA Wire
Sir Cliff Richard arrives at the Rolls Building in London to hear the ruling of the dispute that he has with the BBC. Photo: Victoria Jones/PA Wire

Here is how the events which led to today's privacy ruling unfolded:

March 2014: South Yorkshire Police (SYP) receive an allegation against Sir Cliff Richard from Operation Yewtree - a Metropolitan Police investigation into historic sex offences in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal. The complainant alleges he was molested by Sir Cliff during an event led by US preacher Billy Graham at Sheffield United's Bramall Lane ground in the 1980s.

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June 2014: BBC reporter Dan Johnson receives a tip from a confidential source about Sir Cliff being investigated by police. The tip leads him to believe SYP is the force involved in the investigation.

9 July 2014: Dan Johnson has a conversation over the phone with SYP's head of communications Carrie Goodwin. Towards the end of the conversation, he asks her if Sir Cliff is "on their radar".

15 July 2014: Dan Johnson meets at SYP headquarters with Carrie Goodwin and Superintendent Matthew Fenwick, who is leading the investigation into Sir Cliff.

13 August 2014: Dan Johnson is notified that SYP officers will carry out a search of Sir Cliff's home in Sunningdale, Berkshire, the following day.

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14 August 2014: SYP officers carry out a search of the singer's home. The BBC broadcasts from the scene, using a helicopter to obtain footage of the search being conducted in the penthouse apartment. Sir Cliff sees the footage from a hotel in Portugal where he is on holiday.

September 2014: Sir Cliff withdraws from a fundraising concert at Canterbury Cathedral which was due to be broadcast by the BBC.

June 2016: The Crown Prosecution Service announces its decision not to bring any charges against Sir Cliff.

July 2016: Sir Cliff instructs lawyers to seek damages from the BBC and SYP over their handling of the police raid.

May 2017: The singer accepts £400,000 damages from SYP. The force offers its "sincere apologies" to Sir Cliff.

April/May 2017: Sir Cliff's case against the BBC is heard by Mr Justice Mann in London.

Related topics:Cliff RichardBBCSouth Yorkshire PoliceHigh Court