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Cliff Richard "treated
appallingly" - Majella O'Donnell
19.08.14
MAJELLA O'Donnell has
become involved in a social media spat after
criticising the manner of the raid on the home of
her friend Cliff Richard.
Majella (54) said she believed the legendary singer
had been "treated appallingly" by police after his
home in England was searched last week and the
operation captured live by the BBC.
The five-hour swoop was part of an investigation
into an alleged historic child abuse incident going
back to 1985. The singer denies the allegation.
Breast cancer patient Majella and her husband,
singer Daniel O'Donnell (52), have been friends with
Sir Cliff Richard for many years. |
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Majella O'Donnell pictured with her
friend Cliff Richard while he was in Ireland for
several concerts in June. |
The legendary pop star
(73) collaborated in a country-music duet with
Majella on her 2010 album 'By Request'.
At the weekend, the mother-of-two criticised the
manner of the raid at the singer's Berkshire home
while he was abroad last Thursday.
"The way the police have treated Cliff Richard is
completely unacceptable," Majella told her 1,620
followers, posting a link to an opinion piece in a
UK newspaper carrying the same headline.
The column by Geoffrey Robertson in 'The
Independent' noted that the police swoop and ensuing
publicity "blasted (Richard's) reputation around the
world without giving him the first and most basic
right to refute the allegation".
Majella's comments were praised by several of her
followers who said they agreed with her.
But one male follower cautioned: “Hope you never
have cause to regret that tweet.”
Majella replied: “Why would I ever regret it? Cliff
has been treated appallingly. What about his rights?
There's nothing to regret.”
Majella met the star as recently as last June when
he was in Ireland for concerts in Belfast, Dublin
and Cork.
She posted a snap of them together, tweeting: "Great
to spend time with Cliff today before he leaves for
his Cork concert. Wonderful man."
Meanwhile, South Yorkshire police have complained to
the BBC, accusing it of breaching its own editorial
guidelines.
The BBC said that one of its journalists approached
South Yorkshire police with information about the
investigation. The corporation said it "agreed to
follow normal journalistic practice and not to
publish a story that might jeopardise a police
inquiry". |
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