Defiant to the end the so-called 'King of Spin' Max Clifford was last night spending his first night in prison after being sentenced to 8 years for indecently assaulting a number of girls and women in what some say would be considered rape should the offences have taken place today [BBC].
No apology
After being found guilty the shamed publicist admitted it was "not the best day" of his life but refused to offer any form of apology to the victims.
Before entering court he merely said that he stood by his previous statements that his accusers were "fantasists" and "liars". Talking to Sky's Tom Parmenter the former PR guru said, "I stand by everything I've said in the past - everything."
After being found guilty the shamed publicist admitted it was "not the best day" of his life but refused to offer any form of apology to the victims.
Before entering court he merely said that he stood by his previous statements that his accusers were "fantasists" and "liars". Talking to Sky's Tom Parmenter the former PR guru said, "I stand by everything I've said in the past - everything."
Lost everything
For the 71 year old who had everything he will likely lose it all. His high-profile PR business is set to close and he may also find himself without his wife of four years. Last night there was speculation that wife Jo Clifford, formerly Jo Westwood, may file for divorce.
According to the Daily Mail his wife had not been seen sporting her wedding ring and was 'very, very angry" over the whole affair. One friend told the paper she was "just waiting for guilty verdicts and then she's going to divorce him for everything he's got."
Max Clifford's wife had spent the trial well away from the courtroom rather than playing the dutiful wife and standing by her man. However she has declined to comment on the rumours or suggestions she has spoken to top London divorce lawyer Raymond Tooth.
A former PA for the publicist they married in April 2010, seven years after the death of Clifford's first wife, Liz.
Cheers
Clifford's sentencing was cheered not only by his victims in court but by many outside the courtroom who had faced humiliation and embarrassment by the 'King of Spin'.
Former Conservative minister David Mellor said he "exults" in Max Clifford's jailing saying the disgraced PR guru "delighted in humiliating his victims".
Mellor had been one of those victims after Clifford brokered deals with tabloids for kiss-and-tell stories with Antonia de Sancha who reveal details about an affair with the minister. Speaking of the jailing Mellor told the Daily Telegraph it showed "there is a God".
Even those who bought his stories had few good words for the man. Former editor of the Sun newspaper Kelvin MacKenzie described Clifford as a "vile individual" when speaking on the BBC's Any Questions. Despite having bought stories from him and having known him some 30 years added that one "couldn't find anybody who has a good word to say about Max Clifford."
Long fall
For the 71 year old who had everything he will likely lose it all. His high-profile PR business is set to close and he may also find himself without his wife of four years. Last night there was speculation that wife Jo Clifford, formerly Jo Westwood, may file for divorce.
According to the Daily Mail his wife had not been seen sporting her wedding ring and was 'very, very angry" over the whole affair. One friend told the paper she was "just waiting for guilty verdicts and then she's going to divorce him for everything he's got."
Max Clifford's wife had spent the trial well away from the courtroom rather than playing the dutiful wife and standing by her man. However she has declined to comment on the rumours or suggestions she has spoken to top London divorce lawyer Raymond Tooth.
A former PA for the publicist they married in April 2010, seven years after the death of Clifford's first wife, Liz.
Cheers
Clifford's sentencing was cheered not only by his victims in court but by many outside the courtroom who had faced humiliation and embarrassment by the 'King of Spin'.
Former Conservative minister David Mellor said he "exults" in Max Clifford's jailing saying the disgraced PR guru "delighted in humiliating his victims".
Mellor had been one of those victims after Clifford brokered deals with tabloids for kiss-and-tell stories with Antonia de Sancha who reveal details about an affair with the minister. Speaking of the jailing Mellor told the Daily Telegraph it showed "there is a God".
Even those who bought his stories had few good words for the man. Former editor of the Sun newspaper Kelvin MacKenzie described Clifford as a "vile individual" when speaking on the BBC's Any Questions. Despite having bought stories from him and having known him some 30 years added that one "couldn't find anybody who has a good word to say about Max Clifford."
Long fall
Life will now be very different for the man who arguably ruined hundreds of people's lives in order to feather his lavish lifestyle. He will leave behind his large house in a private road in Hersham for a small prison cell. He will say goodbye to his outdoor heated swimming pool where he used to swim daily, though he may have access to a gym. And of course he'll have no housekeeper as such, indeed he might find himself to be someone else's bitch if prison life is all it's rumoured to be.
For someone who played with and controlled so many people's lives, Clifford has fallen off a very tall cliff indeed. And he's certainly come down with a bump [Guardian / Independent].
tvnewswatch, London, UK
For someone who played with and controlled so many people's lives, Clifford has fallen off a very tall cliff indeed. And he's certainly come down with a bump [Guardian / Independent].
tvnewswatch, London, UK
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