Britain’s top public relations guru Max Clifford was on Monday found guilty of eight indecent assaults on women and girls as young as 15. The 71-year-old silver-haired celebrity publicist was found guilty by a jury at Southwark Crown Court which had been deliberating on the verdict at the end of a trial involving a string of assaults which happened over nearly 20 years.
He was cleared of two charges of indecent assault, while the jury failed to reach a verdict on another charge.Clifford has been bailed and will be sentenced on Friday. Judge Anthony Leonard warned him that the fact he was granted bail was no indication of the sentence that would be passed. Clifford was arrested by detectives from Operation Yewtree in December 2012 and charged in April 2013. The operation was launched by Scotland Yard to investigate sexual abuse allegations against media personalities.
Clifford has become the first person to be convicted under Operation Yewtree.During the trial, prosecutors portrayed him as a well-practised manipulator, who lured his victims for sexual
favours.
He was cleared of two charges of indecent assault, while the jury failed to reach a verdict on another charge.Clifford has been bailed and will be sentenced on Friday. Judge Anthony Leonard warned him that the fact he was granted bail was no indication of the sentence that would be passed. Clifford was arrested by detectives from Operation Yewtree in December 2012 and charged in April 2013. The operation was launched by Scotland Yard to investigate sexual abuse allegations against media personalities.
Clifford has become the first person to be convicted under Operation Yewtree.During the trial, prosecutors portrayed him as a well-practised manipulator, who lured his victims for sexual
favours.