Sir Cliff Richard wins court battle with BBC over source

British pop singer Sir Cliff Richard has won a legal battle over BBC after a UK High court today ordered the media group to give more information about the source of a news coverage regarding a sex scandal involving the actor.

Justice Mann has told BBC bosses to give the 76-year-old singer more information about how a journalist learned that the pop singer was being investigated as a result of a sex assault allegation.

Sir Cliff has sold more than 250 million records worldwide.

The judge has ruled that BBC bosses must tell Cliff whether the source of information was someone working on a wider Metropolitan Police inquiry into sex abuse allegations, an investigation codenamed Operation Yewtree.

Lawyers representing Cliff wanted more details about the source.

BBC bosses said they should not be forced to reveal more information.

Justice Mann had analysed competing arguments at a preliminary High Court hearing in early May and has announced his decision in a written ruling.

The judge has said BBC bosses must provide a "proper answer" to the question Sir Cliff had asked about whether the source came from "within Operation Yewtree".

Sir Cliff has sued the BBC over coverage of a raid at his apartment in Sunningdale, Berkshire, in August 2014.

Lawyers representing the singer say he has suffered "profound and long-lasting" damage.

BBC editors have said they will "defend ourselves vigorously".

A spokesman said the BBC had reported Cliff's "full denial of the allegations at every stage".

Lawyers have told how in late 2013 a man had made an allegation to the Metropolitan Police, saying he had been sexually assaulted by Sir Cliff at Sheffield United's Bramall Lane football stadium, in Sheffield, when a child in 1985.

Metropolitan Police officers had passed the allegation to South Yorkshire Police in July 2014.

Sir Cliff had denied the allegation and in June 2016 prosecutors announced he would face no charges.

Justice Mann has overseen a number of preliminary hearings. Any trial is expected to take place next year.

Cliff had also sued South Yorkshire Police.

The judge was last week told how that dispute had settled after the force agreed to pay the singer "substantial" damages.

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)