Cliff Richard- Is This A Witchhunt? He Shouldnt Be Named

[gordiescotland1]

I am not at all convinced of Cliff Richards guilt and I think it is a withchunt over the failed Jimmy Saville situation. I dont think celebrities like this should be named until after the trial as their reputation could be ruined forever even if found not guilty.

[youngmafbog]

//How on earth do you feel qualified to decide on someone's guilt with no evidence, no trial? //

How about the premise of 'innocent until proven guilty'?

Or do you prefer trial by media, which is what this country has descended into?

[Slapshot]

The way it's been done is wrong however if there is evidence it should be prosecuted. It's only a witch hunt if he's innocent

[Hypognosis]

Yet again, people in this thread and even that website are spelling his name incorrectly, with an s on the end.

Why? Is this some feeble attempt to get around the super injunction by pretending you were discussing a near-namesake?

In any event, I should imagine the court case would be against his real surname.

[grumpy01]

Which,to be precise,is Harry Rodger Webb.

[jno]

youngmafbog and gordie are quite right - nobody should be convinced of Cliff's guilt, no evidence whatever having been made public.

[Canary42]

////My OH used to know Cliff fairly well years ago and he doesn't believe the allegations for a second.////

Lots of close friends of Messrs Harris and Hall felt the same way. Why do people always expect villains to wear their criminality on their sleeve - like a burglar dressing up in a striped jumper carrying a bag marked Swag - outside the cartoon world it just doesn't happen.

[Canary42]

P.S. That doesn't mean I approve of the scum media identifying possible innocent folk.

[jno]

wasn't it DLT who got off because his name was made public? Someone read about his trial and came forward to clear his name.

[EDDIE51]

I remember rumours about Cliff since at least the early 1970s.
All I did was to Google 'Cliff Richard Rumours' and post the first link that came up. It's all out there on the 'net'.

[mikey4444]

We have discussed this issue of naming suspects before they are charged many times here on AB, and I agree that its a thorny problem.

But I am now siding with the naming now, and for one good reason. Its been shown in the last 2 years that its only by having some publicity that other victims have come forward. This issue of child abuse is going to run and run, and what we need is a complete and thorough cleaning of the Augian Stables and perhaps a little blood has to be spilled along the way.

[mikey4444]

DLT's name has most certainly not been cleared, as he is due back in court again soon.

On the issue of belief or not......can we all remember what were our first thoughts were, when the true horrors of Savile's appalling abuse became known ? In his case, it was the eye-watering amounts of money that he raised over many years for charity that caused the initial scepticism. But there is nobody that now believes he was innocent of his crimes, even his own family.

[EDDIE51]

^^ how long do you think it would be before a person was 'illegally' named if there were' secret' trials? It would be impossible , you would have to close the public galleries at courts just for a start.

[sir.prize]

//Its been shown in the last 2 years that its only by having some publicity that other victims have come forward.//

Hang on a minute mikey.

If these alleged offences occurred many years ago, why does the naming of a particular person prompt 'victims' to come forward? Surely if Cliff abused someone, it could have been reported when Operation Yewtree first became active. So far there have been 15 people arrested** The question is, why is it necessary for a particular person to be named before the alleged 'victims' come forward? Surely they have been traumatised for years . . .

** Of those 15 only two have been convicted.

I know what I believe.

[mikey4444]

In the case of Savile and Cyril Smith, victims did indeed come forward, many years ago and they were either not believed or the investigations were "pulled" and in Smith's case it was MI5 that did the pulling. Now who do you belive ?

Read " Smile for the Camera---the Secret Life of Cyril Smith"...it will make your hair stand on end.

[beso]

sir.prise //If these alleged offences occurred many years ago, why does the naming of a particular person prompt 'victims' to come forward? Surely if Cliff abused someone, it could have been reported when Operation Yewtree first became active.//

It is a big thing for someone to come forward, particularly after the way many who did originally report the offence were treated. Some have waited to see that justice is really done before risking so much to get involved.

Rolf Harris's conviction will have given another round of affected people enough courage to come forward.

[EDDIE51]

I saw news item a few days back that the number of historic sex abuse cases reported to the police has risen by 90% since the Saville and Harris case's were reported.
Are they all just after cash !!