• PR guru was held as part of Operation Yewtree investigation not directly relating to disgraced former DJ
  • Police arrested him at 7.40am today - making him the fifth to be arrested out of six who have been questioned
  • Currently being interviewed at central London police station

By Anna Edwards

PUBLISHED: 07:13 EST, 6 December 2012 | UPDATED: 13:49 EST, 6 December 2012

PR guru Max Clifford has been arrested

PR guru Max Clifford has been arrested

Police investigating the Jimmy Savile abuse scandal have today arrested PR guru Max Clifford on suspicion of sexual offences.

The 69-year-old is the fifth suspect to be arrested - and sixth person to be questioned - in connection with Operation Yewtree which has already cost around 2 million and involves a team of 30 officers.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: 'Officers working on Operation Yewtree have this morning arrested a man in his 60s in connection with the investigation.

'The man from Surrey was arrested at 7.40am on suspicion of sexual offences and has been taken into a central London police station.

'The individual falls under the strand of the investigation we have termed "Others".

'We are not prepared to discuss further.'

Max Clifford's lawyer Charlotte Harris said he would assist the police 'as best he can with their inquiries' following his arrest by detectives investigating the Jimmy Savile sex abuse scandal.

Last month Clifford publicly questioned where the police inquiry might lead and said a lot of old stars were worried about being dragged into the investigation because they had appeared on Top Of The Pops or Jim'll Fix It and had merely posed for photographs with girls and Savile.

'It is a situation which could easily turn into a witch hunt, a lot of big stars are frightened,' he told ITV's Daybreak.

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Max Clifford, seen with two of his former clients Rebecca Loos (left) and Vanessa Perroncel (right). There is no suggestion that any of his clients are in any way involved with the case

Max Clifford, seen with his wife Jo Westwood, has been arrested today in connection with the ongoing Operation Yewtree

CLIFFORD'S ROLL CALL OF CLIENTS

Former clients include:

Reality TV star Rebecca Loos

Former Harrods' owner Mohamad Al-Fayed

Singer Cheryl Cole

Late reality star Jade Goody

Music mogul Simon Cowell

Singer Kerry Katona

'Where is it going to end?

'I hope they (the police) concentrate on finding people like Jimmy Savile who were manipulating girls.'

Detectives were today searching the businessman's home after he was arrested by police investigating the Jimmy Savile sex scandal.

Officers were seen to emerge from his gated 3m Surrey mansion carrying what appeared to be sealed black evidence bags.

The bags were placed into the back of two white vans parked on the driveway of Mr Clifford's house near Walton-on-Thames, Surrey.

The curtains were drawn at the property.

Mr Clifford is due to host a black tie charity dinner in aid of a children's charity next week.

The 90-a-head do, called 'Max Clifford reveals the secrets of the rich and famous', is scheduled to take place at the luxurious five-star Pennyhill Park Hotel and Spa in Bagshot, Surrey, next Monday in aid of the Caudwell Children's Charity and the Help Numan Walk Appeal.

The self-styled PR guru has been in the business of representing the rich and famous for 40 years, his website boasts, and he is considered to be almost as famous as those he represents.

Arrest: Police outside the home of PR guru, Max Clifford, 69, today

Arrest: Police outside the home of PR guru, Max Clifford, 69, today

Police search the home of PR guru Max Clifford today, after he was arrested

Police searched the home of PR guru Max Clifford, who was was arrested today

He was catapulted into the public eye in 1986, when he invented a story about one of his clients, Freddie Starr - who has also been arrested as part of Operation Yewtree - telling journalists that the comic had eaten a woman's hamster.

He then provided a response to the claims which created another story - garnering the comedian attention for his then upcoming tour - and later admitted it was a fabrication.

His former clients range from multimillionaires to reality television stars fresh out of their programmes.

Mr Clifford is the sixth suspect to be questioned after one man, in his 80s and from Berkshire, was interviewed under caution on suspicion of sexual offences.

The man in his 80s was treated as part of the investigation that does not directly relate to Savile's offences.

Gary Glitter has been arrested and bailed by police as part of Operation Yewtree. Police are looking into allegations against the late DJ Jimmy Savile and others

Dave Lee Travis, the former Radio 1 DJ, (left) and comedian Freddie Starr have both been arrested and bailed as part of a national inquiry

He was interviewed under caution on suspicion of sexual offences for five hours by officers working on Operation Yewtree and police searched a Berkshire property on Saturday, November 24.

Six arrests had been made as part of national investigation Operation Yewtree, into alleged sexual offences by Savile and others.

Gary Glitter and comedian Freddie Starr were arrested and bailed under Operation Yewtree in the strand classed 'Savile and others'.

DJ Dave Lee Travis and a man in his 70s were arrested and bailed in November as part of the operation strand classed as 'others'.

All deny any wrongdoing.

Scotland Yard is leading the inquiry and has said officers are currently dealing with around 450 potential victims, the vast majority of whom claim they fell prey to Savile.

Last month the force said it was dealing with around 450 potential victims, the vast majority of whom claimed they had fallen prey to Savile.

Officers are looking at three strands within their inquiry: claims against Savile, those against Savile and others, and those against others.

 

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