Max Clifford arriving at Southwark Crown Court (Reuters)
Max Clifford arriving at Southwark Crown Court (Reuters)

Celebrity PR consultant Max Clifford has pleaded not guilty to 11 counts of indecent assault on girls as young as 14.

Clifford, from Hersham, Surrey, is accused of assaulting seven alleged victims aged between 14 and 19 between 1966 and 1985.

Speaking outside Southwark Crown Court, he said: "I am totally innocent of these charges. It's been a very hard time for myself, my wife, my family, loved ones.

"I have been helped tremendously by the public support, everywhere I go. That obviously has made a huge difference.

"It is not the nicest of situations but you have to face up to it."

A trial date has been set for 4 March and is expected to last for four weeks.

Clifford, 70, was arrested in December under Operation Yewtree, the investigation set up in the wake of the Jimmy Savile sex scandal. Clifford was arrested under the strand 'others' meaning his offences are not directly related to the late Top of the Pops presenter.

He previously said how his life had become a "24/7 nightmare" for him and his family following his arrest.

He continued: "The allegations in respect of which I have been charged are completely and utterly false and I have made this very clear to the police during many hours of interviews I have given them since December.

"I have never indecently assaulted anyone in my life and this will become abundantly clear I'm sure during the course of the proceedings.

"Since last December, I have been living a 24/7 nightmare. A black cloud has been placed above me, virtually obliterating the bright blue skies that I have been fortunate enough to live my life under for the vast majority of the past seventy years."

Under his bail conditions, Clifford must continue to reside at his Surrey home and must not come into any unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 18.