Strain of police probe shows on Sir Cliff as he welcomes guests to his Barbados home
THE strain of living under suspicion is showing on the face of Sir Cliff Richard as he waits to welcome friends to Barbados.
Pacing the lounge of the paradise island’s international airport, the singer looked glum and under stress.
Sir Cliff, 74, has endured eight months of a highly controversial police inquiry which was launched when detectives raided his Berkshire home while he was abroad.
The singer vehemently denies historical claims of sexually assaulting three alleged victims, including a teenage boy at a religious rally 30 years ago.
**CLICK HERE TO SEE CLIFF'S CAREER HIGHLIGHTS IN PICTURES**
Sir Cliff has dismissed the allegations as “absurd and untrue”.
Yesterday the singer’s mood brightened when two friends arrived at the airport on a flight from America.
They are believed to be staying with Sir Cliff in his £3million mansion in the island’s exclusive Sugar Hill district.
Previous guests at the sprawling, six-bedroom villa called Coral Sundown have included Prime Minister David Cameron and ex-Premier Tony Blair.
I have co-operated fully with the police and will, of course, continue to do so.
Despite being under investigation for so long, Sir Cliff has not been arrested or charged with any offence.
But he has been in “legal limbo” since South Yorkshire Police agreed to allow the BBC to broadcast live when officers went to search his £3.5million apartment near Sunningdale, Berkshire, last August.
The operation was linked to allegations by a man, now in his 40s, who claims the singer assaulted him at a Billy Graham evangelical rally at Sheffield United’s Bramall Lane football stadium in 1985.
In February, it was reported two other alleged victims have contacted police. Sir Cliff has described all the allegations as “completely false”.
He said at the time: “I have no idea where these absurd and untrue allegations come from. I have never in my life assaulted anyone and I remain confident that the truth will prevail.
“I have co-operated fully with the police and will, of course, continue to do so.”
The widening of the police inquiry was revealed in a letter written by South Yorkshire Police Chief Constable David Crompton to MP Keith Vaz, the chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee.
Mr Crompton told Mr Vaz police were now looking at “more than one allegation”.
Mr Vaz was criticised by Sir Cliff’s lawyers for making the letter public and it was later reported two other alleged victims had come forward.
In a blistering report after the raid on Sir Cliff’s Berkshire home, Mr Vaz’s committee condemned South Yorkshire Police as “inept” in its dealings with the BBC.
The star was at his holiday home in the Algarve when the BBC broadcast live pictures of officers strolling towards the entrance to the exclusive block in Sunningdale.
Sir Cliff suffered “enormous, irreparable damage,” said the committee's report. “No citizen should have to watch on live television their home being raided in this way.”
