Max Clifford is considered by many as the highest-profile and best-known publicist in the United Kingdom. (A publicist is a person whose job it is to generate and manage publicity for a public figure, especially a celebrity, a business, or for a work such as a book, film or album.)
Clifford is one of many celebrities who were caught-up in Scotland Yard's Operation Yewtree, an investigation begun after the horrific abuses of Jimmie Saville were uncovered. Some of those celebrities have been found to be innocent, or, at least, non-prosecutable.
Max Clifford has said claims he sexually assaulted a 12-year-old girl are "filthy and absolutely revolting".
Giving evidence, the publicist denied assaulting the girl in a Jacuzzi in a Spanish holiday resort in 1983.
He also told Southwark Crown Court claims he sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl in his car were "lies".
Mr Clifford denies 11 counts of indecent assault, relating to seven alleged victims, aged from 14 to 20 between 1966 and 1984.
The claims relating to the 12-year-old are not part of the trial as the alleged incident took place in Spain.
Asked on Thursday whether he had ever had a sexual interest in 12-year-old girls, Mr Clifford replied that "the thought is utterly repulsive and repugnant".
He added: "A 12-year-old girl - that's disgusting, filthy and absolutely revolting."
Mr Clifford had a number of other allegations put to him during his second day of evidence.
Among them was a claim he had sexually assaulted a 15-year-old in his car in the 1970s after originally meeting her in Spain.
Mr Clifford told the jury he had stayed at a hotel in Torremolinos, Spain, a month earlier than the girl and her family and had no recollection of them. The alleged victim has said she first met him at the hotel in August 1977.
But Mr Clifford's defence produced newspaper clippings showing the publicist had saved a girl from drowning in the Pontinental Hotel pool in July 1977.
The woman has also claimed Mr Clifford used a yellow Jaguar car to pick her up from her house before indecently assaulting her.
Mr Clifford said it was "possible" he had owned the vehicle in 1977, but said the colour did not appeal to him.
He added the allegations were "totally and utterly untrue".
During questioning from his defence barrister, Richard Horwell QC, Mr Clifford denied ever meeting many of the women who had accused him, and dismissed their claims as completely untrue.
One alleged victim has said she was assaulted by Mr Clifford at his office, after she had been given a part as an extra in the James Bond film Octopussy.
Mr Clifford said the only involvement he had had with anyone connected to the film was with a gymnast whose profile he was helping to promote, along with several other British athletes.
The court has previously heard claims that Mr Clifford offered to get another woman the lead role of Fallon in the 1980s TV show Dynasty, before exposing himself to her and forcing her to perform a sex act.
But Mr Clifford told the court the claims were " too ridiculous for words".
Another woman, who is not a complainant, has alleged she went to Mr Clifford's office after being promised a part in a film. She said Mr Clifford exposed himself and that she later received a call from an "Italian producer" - who she believed was Mr Clifford disguising his voice.
Mr Clifford said on Thursday that he had never held castings for films in his office.
Asked if he had ever exposed himself to women that visited his office, he said: "No", and denied ever impersonating an Italian producer or director.
In response to a number of other allegations put to him, Mr Clifford:
- denied claims he had told a woman he had slept with Diana Ross and had engaged in a sex act while on the phone to his wife
- denied knowing another woman who has claimed he assaulted her while she worked for him in the 1970s
- said another women, who alleges he assaulted her, did work in his office in 1980s, but denied forcing her to perform sex acts on him
Mr Clifford also told the court that dozens of women had contacted him wanting to sell their stories when abuse claims against the late DJ Jimmy Savile emerged.
He said he had urged the women to contact the police.
The trial continues.
Clifford is one of many celebrities who were caught-up in Scotland Yard's Operation Yewtree, an investigation begun after the horrific abuses of Jimmie Saville were uncovered. Some of those celebrities have been found to be innocent, or, at least, non-prosecutable.
Max Clifford has said claims he sexually assaulted a 12-year-old girl are "filthy and absolutely revolting".
Giving evidence, the publicist denied assaulting the girl in a Jacuzzi in a Spanish holiday resort in 1983.
He also told Southwark Crown Court claims he sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl in his car were "lies".
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| Max Clifford |
Mr Clifford denies 11 counts of indecent assault, relating to seven alleged victims, aged from 14 to 20 between 1966 and 1984.
The claims relating to the 12-year-old are not part of the trial as the alleged incident took place in Spain.
Asked on Thursday whether he had ever had a sexual interest in 12-year-old girls, Mr Clifford replied that "the thought is utterly repulsive and repugnant".
He added: "A 12-year-old girl - that's disgusting, filthy and absolutely revolting."
Mr Clifford had a number of other allegations put to him during his second day of evidence.
Among them was a claim he had sexually assaulted a 15-year-old in his car in the 1970s after originally meeting her in Spain.
Mr Clifford told the jury he had stayed at a hotel in Torremolinos, Spain, a month earlier than the girl and her family and had no recollection of them. The alleged victim has said she first met him at the hotel in August 1977.
 |
| Torremolinos, Spain |
The woman has also claimed Mr Clifford used a yellow Jaguar car to pick her up from her house before indecently assaulting her.
Mr Clifford said it was "possible" he had owned the vehicle in 1977, but said the colour did not appeal to him.
He added the allegations were "totally and utterly untrue".
During questioning from his defence barrister, Richard Horwell QC, Mr Clifford denied ever meeting many of the women who had accused him, and dismissed their claims as completely untrue.
One alleged victim has said she was assaulted by Mr Clifford at his office, after she had been given a part as an extra in the James Bond film Octopussy.
Mr Clifford said the only involvement he had had with anyone connected to the film was with a gymnast whose profile he was helping to promote, along with several other British athletes.
The court has previously heard claims that Mr Clifford offered to get another woman the lead role of Fallon in the 1980s TV show Dynasty, before exposing himself to her and forcing her to perform a sex act.
But Mr Clifford told the court the claims were " too ridiculous for words".
Another woman, who is not a complainant, has alleged she went to Mr Clifford's office after being promised a part in a film. She said Mr Clifford exposed himself and that she later received a call from an "Italian producer" - who she believed was Mr Clifford disguising his voice.
Mr Clifford said on Thursday that he had never held castings for films in his office.
Asked if he had ever exposed himself to women that visited his office, he said: "No", and denied ever impersonating an Italian producer or director.
In response to a number of other allegations put to him, Mr Clifford:
- denied claims he had told a woman he had slept with Diana Ross and had engaged in a sex act while on the phone to his wife
- denied knowing another woman who has claimed he assaulted her while she worked for him in the 1970s
- said another women, who alleges he assaulted her, did work in his office in 1980s, but denied forcing her to perform sex acts on him
Mr Clifford also told the court that dozens of women had contacted him wanting to sell their stories when abuse claims against the late DJ Jimmy Savile emerged.
He said he had urged the women to contact the police.
The trial continues.
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