PRIVACY INFRINGEMENT
Singer Cliff Richard wins privacy court case against BBC
London — British singer Cliff Richard won substantial damages on Wednesday after London’s High Court ruled that the BBC had breached his privacy by televising a police raid on his house which, he said, had left him feeling violated. The BBC said the "dramatic" ruling would have a huge effect on the media’s ability to report police inquiries and scrutinise their conduct. The broadcaster used helicopters to film detectives searching the home of Richard, 77, one of Britain’s best-known entertainers, when he was away on holiday in August 2014 as part of an investigation into allegations of historical child sex offences. Prosecutors later said Richard, who maintained his innocence throughout, would face no charges due to lack of evidence. Handing down his judgment and awarding the singer £210,000 in damages, Justice Anthony Mann said the BBC had infringed Richard’s privacy rights "without a legal justification" and "in a somewhat sensationalist way". "I have rejected the BBC’s case that ...
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