28 Apr 2013

Top celebrity agent charged with indecent assaults

6:11 am on 28 April 2013

Britain's best-known celebrity agent, Max Clifford, has vowed to clear his name in court after being charged with 11 indecent assaults allegedly committed between 1966 and 1985.

The alleged offences relate to seven different women and girls ranging in age from 14 to 19, the BBC reports.

Mr Clifford, 70, who is due to appear in court on 28 May, says the claims are completely false and living with them has been a "24/7 nightmare".

"I have never indecently assaulted anyone in my life," he says, "and this will become clear during the course of the proceedings."

He was arrested in December under Operation Yewtree - set up following allegations about the broadcasting personality Jimmy Savile - but his arrest was unrelated to Savile.

Operation Yewtree has three strands. One concerns Savile's crimes exclusively, while another relates to allegations against Savile and others.

The third strand, under which Mr Clifford was arrested, concentrates on accusations unconnected to the Savile investigations but which emerged as a result of the publicity surrounding Savile.

The veteran Australian entertainer Rolf Harris has also been questioned by Operation Yewtree detectives.

Other high-profile names figures questioned in connection with the investigation have been comedian Freddie Starr, DJ Dave Lee Travis and comedian Jim Davidson - all of whom deny any wrongdoing.