An emotional Sir Cliff Richard has won a High Court privacy battle with the BBC over its coverage of a police search of his home.
A judge awarded Sir Cliff £210,000 – and he could get much more.
The 77-year-old singer hugged friends after the ruling and as he left court fans clapped and sang his hit song Congratulations.
“I’m choked up,” he said. “I can’t believe it. It’s wonderful news.”
Sir Cliff took legal action against BBC bosses over broadcasts of a South Yorkshire Police raid on his home in Sunningdale, Berkshire, in August 2014, following a child sex assault allegation.
Mr Justice Mann said the BBC infringed the star’s privacy rights in a “serious and sensationalist way”.
Fran Unsworth, the corporation’s director of news, said it is considering an appeal against the judgment.
BBC's Director of News, Fran Unsworth, says it is 'looking at' appealing the judgment after Sir Cliff Richard wins High Court case against the corporationhttps://t.co/BxK98O44zm
— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) July 18, 2018
Outside court Sir Cliff stood next to a lawyer who read a statement on his behalf.
The singer said it was “going to take a little while” as he was too emotional to talk, and added: “I hope you’ll forgive me.”
Lawyer Gideon Benaim said the singer never expected, after 60 years in the public eye, to have his “privacy and reputation tarnished in such a way”.
He said the BBC refused to apologise and insisted it had run a public interest story.
A BBC spokesman said: “This judgment creates new case law and represents a dramatic shift against press freedom and the long-standing ability of journalists to report on police investigations, which in some cases has led to further complainants coming forward.
“This impacts not just the BBC, but every media organisation.
“This isn’t just about reporting on individuals. It means police investigations, and searches of people’s homes, could go unreported and unscrutinised.
“It will make it harder to scrutinise the conduct of the police and we fear it will undermine the wider principle of the public’s right to know. It will put decision making in the hands of the police.
“We don’t believe this is compatible with liberty and press freedoms, something that has been at the heart of this country for generations.
“For all of these reasons, there is a significant principle at stake. That is why the BBC is looking at an appeal.”