'Inept' raid on Cliff Richard's home did 'irreparable damage' to his reputation

South Yorkshire Police allegedly tried to cut a deal with a BBC reporter who approached them about the story.

17:58 24 October 2014

A group of MPs said that the police raid at the home of veteran pop star Sir Cliff Richard was “ultimately flawed.”

The home affairs select committee added that Sir Cliff had "suffered enormous, irreparable damage to his reputation" as a result. It added that the police should not have tried to ‘cut a deal’ with a BBC reporter who approached them about the story.

Committee chairman Keith Vaz said: "South Yorkshire Police's handling of this situation was utterly inept. The force allowed itself to hand over sensitive information to a journalist and granted him privileged access to the execution of a search warrant.

"The email exchanges could easily be mistaken for a script from The Bill. The force should have refused to co-operate and explained to senior BBC News executives why the premature broadcasting of a story, which they claimed the journalist threatened, would have prejudiced the investigation."

He added: "No British citizen should have to watch their home being raided by the police live on television.”

"Sir Cliff Richard has suffered enormous and irreparable damage to his reputation and he is owed an apology over the way matters were handled.”