Disgraced celebrity publicist Max Clifford dies in prison

Former celebrity publicist Max Clifford has died in prison at the age of 74.

He had been serving his eight year sentence in a Cambridgeshire jail for historical sex offences.

On Thursday [7 December], Clifford collapsed whilst he was trying to clean his cell, then he collapsed again the next day before suffering a fatal heart attack in a hospital’s critical care unit.

His daughter, Louise, told the Mail on Sunday that her father was “in a bad way” earlier today, adding that prison was “just too much” for him.

She told the publication: “He collapsed again and was unconscious for several minutes – though he doesn’t know how long.

“He was seen by a nurse, who insisted he must be transferred to a local hospital. That’s where he had his cardiac arrest, later on Friday.”

The Ministry of Justice said of Clifford’s passing: “As with all deaths in custody, there will be an investigation by the independent Prisons and Probation Ombudsman.”

A spokeswoman added: “Our condolences are with Mr Clifford’s family at this difficult time.”

Clifford was jailed in May 2014 after he was found guilty on a number of charges under Operation Yewtree – the investigation that was set up in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal.

The publicist was convicted for eight counts of indecent assault between 1977 and 1985.

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