Sir Cliff

[Deleted member 15344]

Surely to be issued with a warrant in the first place then a judge has deemed the allegations seriously enough to allow the police to search the premises regardless of if he is there or not - it's a police investigation - the main aim is to gain the truth and any evidence that can help find out the truth.

The police have already deemed it necessary to gain a search warrant but calling them "Gestapo" ?! Sorry but that's very wrong and how is a search intimidating him ?

And before you say ? What if it was me - then I would hope I would allow the police to do their job

The over the top media is one thing that needs to change yes - but actions of the police in the search - if it's above board and as per oir laws then what is the problem

 

[Fish]

It is a good post but I disagree with the reasoning. Just imagine the Police entering your house while you are on holiday and searching your house with the media tipped off. Just imagine how you would feel when watching it on TV and people looking at you and talking behind their hands and over some allegation of something that may have happened thirty years ago.

To my mind these are the methods of the Gestapo, I had hoped after Magna Carter we had moved on from this type intimidation of free people. It's not as if someone has been shot and they are searching for the murder weapon! The reasonable thing to do would be invite him to the Police Station where he would be questioned and if then deemed necessary a warrant to search his property would then be used. Press releases should not be made at this conjecture.

Again! Just imagine if this was you!!

I would feel absolutely nothing if I had nothing to be ashamed of or nothing to hide, I would know in myself I was innocent and that any search would prove it so and as such I would be exonerated of any accusations, so search away!

As for intimidation of free people and your belittling of the accusation of a crime of sexual assault on a minor, I'm sorry if that's that up to the standard of murder, but it may have still ruined someone's life, if it indeed happened in this case but for those people that it has happened to and have had to live with it for years, maybe being murdered would have been a better option by your reckoning!!

 

[SocketRocket]

I would feel absolutely nothing if I had nothing to be ashamed of or nothing to hide, I would know in myself I was innocent and that any search would prove it so and as such I would be exonerated of any accusations, so search away!

As for intimidation of free people and your belittling of the accusation of a crime of sexual assault on a minor, I'm sorry if that's that up to the standard of murder, but it may have still ruined someone's life, if it indeed happened in this case but for those people that it has happened to and have had to live with it for years, maybe being murdered would have been a better option by your reckoning!!

I didn't say that or suggest it, did I? I resent your suggestion that I have belittled the accusation of a crime of sexual assault, it's just putting words into my mouth and untrue.

I agree that the guilty must be accountable for their actions, what I refer to is the initial process of ascertaining reasonable evidence that a crime has been committed.

Many crimes have the potential to ruin peoples lives and none more than murder, that one is a certainty. In my opinion you cant fiddle around with the basic rights of people to be innocent until proven guilty and involving the media this way flies in the face of this basic right.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I still find the necessity to inform the press "to encourage others to come forward" no more than a smokescreen. There was no need to have done that. Turn up and search by all means. If you have evidence to interview/arrest Cliff Richard then do so and then suggest that anyone else comes forward at which time these can be investigated and any other persons treated the same way. By opening it up as a media circus from the start is surely going to invite those looking for a quick buck and a story in the press. Hardly trial without prejudice

 

[drdel]

Any of the anti-police posters here will perhaps have failed to notice that the Yorkshire Police have formally complained to the governor of the BBC that they broke the press guidelines by their premature broadcasting. And the BBC have admitted the Police did not tip them off.

The danger here is that the BBC's highhanded actions might influence the lawful process.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Any of the anti-police posters here will perhaps have failed to notice that the Yorkshire Police have formally complained to the governor of the BBC that they broke the press guidelines by their premature broadcasting. And the BBC have admitted the Police did not tip them off.

The danger here is that the BBC's highhanded actions might influence the lawful process.

I wasn't aware of that although my point was actually more towards why was the Sky copter overhead filming. They must have known too and certainly the breaking news of them actually going to the house came through from both Sky and BBC almost simultaneously so surely there must have been some kind of nod of approval somewhere for this to be released. I do agree totally though that these actions must hinder the process and to be honest I can't see what benefit there has been in this. Has anyone else actually come forward?