A 17-year-old girl believed PR guru Max Clifford “was going to kill me” when he unzipped his trousers and forced her to perform a sex act, a court heard.
The 73-year-old allegedly indecently assaulted the teenager at his offices in New Bond Street in the early 80s, exposing himself and pressing her hand on his penis.
He told her “let’s have a bit of fun” and ignored her pleas that she did not want to touch him, it is said.
Giving evidence behind a screen, the woman, who cannot be identified, told Southwark crown court Clifford locked the office door and unzipped his trousers.
“He said ‘let’s have some fun’ or something along those lines ‘let’s have a bit of fun’”, she said.
“I said I didn’t want to, I said no, I don’t want to do that.”
It is said Clifford grabbed her hand and put it on his penis, then forced her to pleasure him despite her saying: “I don’t want to do this”.
“It felt like it was going on for ages”, she told the jury.
“I said several times I really don’t want to do this, and I’m going to miss my train.
“I actually thought he was going to kill me. I had no experience, I didn’t know what was going to happen next.”
She said the alleged assault was interrupted by a knock on the door, and she called out “just a minute” despite Clifford telling her to keep quiet.
“He moved away and zipped up his trousers and went into his office”, she said.
“He was angry, I could tell from the look on his face he was angry and he slammed the door.”
Clifford, whose clients included X Factor judge Simon Cowell, boxer Muhammad Ali, and Dragon’s Den star Theo Paphitis during his 40-year showbiz career, is standing trial for indecent assault between October 1981 and May 1982.
The woman said she had not told her mother about the alleged attack because “she would have said it was my fault, I’m sure”.
However, she would comment when Clifford came on TV “he’s really not a very nice man” and told her husband about the assault six years ago.
“He was so powerful and knew so many people, and I’m a nobody”, she added, when asked why she waited until 2014 to go to the police.
Prosecutor Rosina Cottage QC told jury Clifford was “a sexual bully who took advantage of his position of power over the youth and immaturity of (the girl) to force her to engage in sexual activity she made plain she did not want to do.
“The defendant ignored her wishes and persisted in his actions knowing she did not consent.”
Clifford denies indecent assault, and claims the woman has made up the incident to try to claim compensation.
The trial continues.
