Pop singer Cliff Richard has been cleared of all sex abuse allegations. It was alleged by four men that Richards had abused them between 1958 and 1983.
Last month officers from the South Yorkshire Police presented a file of evidence on the allegations to the Crown Prosecution Service. The service said today that there was insufficient evidence to proceed and that no further action should be taken against Richard.
In the summer of 2014 the BBC live broadcast a search of Richard's Berkshire home in England by the South Yorkshire Police. Richard denied any involvement with child sex abuse from the onset of the investigation and said in a statement today he was, "thrilled that the vile accusations and the resulting investigation have finally been brought to a close".
Richard was never arrested during the course of the investigation and voluntarily attended police interviews. He critiqued the manner in which the investigation had been handled by both the media and the police force saying it was an instance of "high profile fumbling".
"Other than in exceptional cases, people who are facing allegations should never be named publicly until charged. I was named before I was even interviewed and for me that was like being hung out like 'live bait'".
South Yorkshire Police have apologised to the 75 year old "wholeheartedly for any additional anxiety" as a result of their "initial handling of the media interest" in the allegations.