A witness tells Southwark Crown Court she was given a lift by the publicist before he allegedly attempted to force himself on her.

18:10, UK, Monday 10 March 2014

A woman has said she was "frozen in fear" during an alleged sex attack by Max Clifford.

The witness, who cannot be named, described meeting the publicist in a Wimpy burger bar in Morden, south London, in 1966.

She was 14 years old at the time and claims Clifford, then in his 20s, offered her a lift in his car and said he had "something to show her".

She claimed in court that he showed her a collection of photos of big musical acts of the time such as the Beatles and asked her: "Who would you like to meet?"

The woman said he drove her in the opposite direction to her home and then pulled over.

She told Southwark Crown Court: "He put my seat right back and then he tried to force himself upon me basically.

"It was quite obvious what he wanted me to do, I thought at the time I was going to get raped if I didn't get out of the car.

"My body was frozen in fear."

The witness then described how she managed to struggle free and get out of the car.

She said she ran home and said she felt "relieved to get away with it", but did not report the incident to the police.

Clifford could be seen shaking his head in the glass fronted dock as the allegations were made.

Under cross examination from Richard Horwell QC, the witness, dressed in black and holding a paper tissue, said she the alleged incident may have taken place a year later in 1967.

She said:"Yes, I thought it was 1966 but it could have been 66 or 67. I can't pin it down to a date but I know I was still at school."

Mr Horwell also questioned her about the Wimpy bar and he said that it was a meeting point for Mods and that Clifford would have stood out as "a geek".

She told the court she was a "watered down Mod" and would meet her friends there but only knew Clifford to say "hello to".

The witness admitted that at the time Clifford was not particularly liked and he would not have fitted in but she denied that he was picked on "incessantly" as a result.

Mr Horwell also questioned her as to why she got into Clifford's car and she said:"He was insisting, I was weak ... in the end I was a silly girl and I said yes."

However when pressed by the defence to describe the interior of the car and the type of car she was unable to provide any details.

Mr Horwell put it to the witness that Clifford did not have a car and the incident did not happen and that she was "jumping on the band wagon" but she replied:"Oh, it most definitely did."

Later when asked by prosecutor Rosina Cottage QC, if the incident had happened the witness replied:"It's 100% true. I wouldn't put myself through this otherwise, and all my friends."

He denies eleven counts of indecent assault and his trial continues.


Recommended by Outbrain Recommended by Outbrain

Top Stories

  1. Queen Urges Reconciliation In Christmas Message
  2. Royal Family Attend Christmas Church Service
  3. Breaking News: Man 'Accidentally' Shot Dead In Church
  4. 2,700 Jobs At Risk As City Link Collapses
  5. Girl Refuses To Explode Bomb Belt In Market