Max Clifford: Indecent assault trial date set

Max Clifford denies the charges. Picture: PA

• He faces 11 counts relating to seven alleged victims between 1966 and 1985

• A trial date was set for March 4 2014

• Clifford denies the charges

The 70-year-old, from Hersham in Surrey, faces 11 counts relating to seven alleged victims, aged from 14 to 19, between 1966 and 1985.

Clifford, who denies the charges, did not appear at the Old Bailey today as a trial date was set for March 4 2014.

Clifford, who was arrested in December and charged in April, will next appear at the Old Bailey for a plea and case management hearing on October 4.

Mr Justice Nicol told the court: “While I have excused his attendance this time, he will be required to attend in October.”

Clifford, famed for representing celebrities including Simon Cowell and Jade Goody, entered not guilty pleas to all the counts at a hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court last month.

He was released on conditional bail and told he must live at his Surrey home and is not allowed to contact prosecution witnesses.

Following a request by defence lawyer Richard Harwell QC, Mr Justice Nicol granted permission for Clifford to stay at a different address in the jurisdiction provided he gives police 48 hours notice.

The defendant must seek permission from the court should he wish to stay outside the jurisdiction, the judge ruled.

The trial is expected to last up to four weeks, the Old Bailey heard, but a decision on where the trial will take place is still to be made.

Following the hearing before Westminster magistrates last month, Clifford spoke outside the court to insist he was innocent and described the proceedings against him as “a nightmare”.

“All I know is up until the Jimmy Savile situation no one ever said anything about me at all,” he said.

“This is a nightmare for myself and my family and has been since December when I was arrested in a very public way.

“What I’ve got to do no