Sir Cliff Richard has spent “grossly unreasonable” amounts on lawyers after taking legal action over coverage of a police raid on his home, the BBC says.<\/p>\n
Its lawyers have told a preliminary High Court hearing that the singer has run up “disproportionate” legal costs of more than \u00a3500,000.<\/p>\n
He is suing the BBC and South Yorkshire Police over coverage of the 2014 raid.<\/p>\n
Lawyers for Sir Cliff previously said he had suffered “profound and long-lasting” damage from the incident.<\/p>\n
He was investigated over historical sexual assault allegations, which he denied, and the case was dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service in June last year because of insufficient evidence.<\/p>\n
He is seeking “very substantial” compensation because he says the coverage invaded his privacy.<\/p>\n
If Sir Cliff’s claim succeeds, and he wins damages, the BBC could be ordered to cover all of his lawyers’ bills.<\/p>\n
A spokesman for the singer said he had “incurred these costs and expenses over more than a two-year period, we say as a direct result of the actions of South Yorkshire Police and the BBC.<\/p>\n
“Ultimately it will be down to a judge to decide whether or not he should recover such costs and expenses in full or in part, or at all.”<\/p>\n
Lawyers representing the BBC criticised the singer’s legal costs as a judge analysed the latest stage of the dispute at a High Court hearing in London on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Sir Cliff was not at the preliminary hearing, which is due to end on Friday, before a planned trial.<\/p>\n
Details of the singer’s claim emerged last year in paperwork lodged at the High Court.<\/p>\n
His lawyers said in October that he had suffered “profound and long-lasting” damage from the BBC’s live coverage of the search at his apartment in Sunningdale, Berkshire, in August 2014 and from being publicly named as a suspected sex offender.<\/p>\n
They also say South Yorkshire Police contravened guidance on “relationships with the media”.<\/p>\n
BBC editors have previously apologised for distress but have said they will “defend ourselves vigorously”.<\/p>\n
Speaking in December, a BBC spokeswoman said the broadcaster had reported Sir Cliff’s “full denial of the allegations at every stage”.<\/p>\n
In June, South Yorkshire Police apologised “wholeheartedly for the additional anxiety caused” by the force’s “initial handling of the media interest” in its investigation into the singer.<\/p>\n
Source bbc.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"