Cliff Richard's Home Searched Amid Sex Assault Claims

Veteran pop star Cliff Richard has found himself at the centre of a storm of attention as reports have emerged that British police spent six hours searching his apartment in relation to an allegation of a sex offence against a boy in the 1980s.

Richard has since refuted the claims.

According to reports, about eight plain-clothes police officers arrived at the Berkshire apartment complex at 9.30 on Thursday morning, local time, though they were reticent to confirm the identity of the owner of the property under investigation.

"No-one has been arrested and the owner of the property was not present," police said in a statement.

"A search warrant was granted after police received an allegation of a sexual nature dating back to the 1980s involving a boy who was under the age of 16 at the time," a South Yorkshire Police spokesman said.

However, Richard, 73, has since issued a statement in response to the rising media tempest surrounding the search, in which he confirms police searched his home, describes the claims against him as “completely false”, and asserts that he will “co-operate fully” with the police, “should [they] wish to speak to me”.

"For many months I have been aware of allegations against me of historic impropriety which have been circulating online,” Richard said. "The allegations are completely false. Up until now I have chosen not to dignify the false allegations with a response, as it would just give them more oxygen.

"However, the police attended my apartment in Berkshire today without notice, except it would appear to the press.”

"I am not presently in the UK but it goes without saying that I will cooperate fully should the police wish to speak to me,” Richard continued.

"Beyond stating that today's allegation is completely false it would not be appropriate to say anything further until the police investigation has concluded."

Several sources have suggested that the alleged incident at the centre of the investigation occurred at a Billy Graham rally being held at Sheffield United’s Bramall Lane stadium in South Yorkshire, in 1985.

Graham is a well-known US evangelist with whom Richard struck a close bond in 1966, when the latter publicly announced his Christian faith during a campaign for the former.

Despite concerns at the time the move would be devastating to his career, Richard nonetheless went on to become the third-highest-selling artist in British history, with 250 million global record sales to his name and a string of #1 hits spanning a forty-year period, including The Young Ones, Summer Holiday and We Don’t Talk Anymore.