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December 7, 2012

Max Clifford: Sex offence allegations are ‘damaging and totally untrue’

By Andrew Pugh

Celebrity publicist Max Clifford, who was arrested yesterday by officers investigating the Jimmy Savile sex abuse scandal, described the allegations made against him as “damaging and totally untrue”,

The PR guru was arrested as part of Operation Yewtree at 7.40am at his home in Surrey on suspicion of sexual offences and taken to a central London police station for questioning.

Clifford is the fifth suspect to be arrested – and sixth person to be questioned – in connection with the operation which has already cost around £2 million and involves a team of 30 officers.

Speaking outside the police station, Clifford said: "These allegations are damaging and totally untrue.

“On a personal level, they are very distressing for myself, my wife, my family and loved ones.

“Anyone who really knew me all those years ago and those who have known me since will have no doubt that I would never act in the way that I have today been accused.”

Clifford said he thought he was facing two allegations dating back to 1977.

Last month Clifford told Daybreak that the police investigation “could easily turn into a witch hunt” and that “a lot of big stars are frightened”.

“Where is it going to end?” he said. “I hope they (the police) concentrate on finding people like Jimmy Savile who were manipulating girls.”

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