Cliff Richard: Ruling on singer's suing of the BBC due

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Cliff RichardImage source, Kirsty O"Connor/PA Wire
Image caption,
Sir Cliff Richard is suing the BBC for damages at the "top end" of the scale

Sir Cliff Richard is due to discover if he has successfully sued the BBC over coverage of a police raid of his home.

Officers searched his home in Berkshire after an allegation of a historical child sex assault, but prosecutors later said there would be no charges.

The singer, 77, said the BBC's reporting, which involved a helicopter filming his home, was a "very serious invasion" of his privacy.

A High Court judge is due to announce his ruling on Wednesday morning.

South Yorkshire Police previously agreed to pay Sir Cliff £400,000 and, according to his lawyers, the singer is seeking damages at the "top end" of the scale from the BBC.

A trial was held at the High Court in London in April and May where the BBC disputed his claims.

Corporation bosses said the coverage of the search of the apartment in Sunningdale, Berkshire, was accurate and in good faith.

They said the broadcaster also reported Sir Cliff's "full denial of the allegations at every stage".

Mr Justice Mann has heard that, in late 2013, a man made an allegation to the Metropolitan Police, saying he had been sexually assaulted by Sir Cliff during an event featuring evangelist Billy Graham at Sheffield United's Bramall Lane football stadium, in 1985, when he was a child.

The allegation was passed on to South Yorkshire Police in July 2014 with the raid happening in August that year.

He was never arrested and in June 2016 prosecutors announced that he would face no charges.