Max Clifford found not guilty of indecently assaulting a teenage girl

Jurors cleared the 73-year-old on one count of indecent assault dating back to the 80s

Publicist Max Clifford arrives at Southwark Crown Court in central London March 18, 2014 (Reuters)

Former celebrity publicist Max Clifford has been found not guilty at Southwark Crown Court of indecently assaulting a teenage girl.

Clifford was accused of indecently assaulting a 17-year-old girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, between October 1981 and May 1982 at his central London office.

The 73-year-old was eventually charged on one count of indecent assault.

He previously convicted on eight counts of indecent assault against four girls aged between 14 and 19 and is currently serving eight years in prison.

The PR guru was one of several male celebrities who were detained under Operation Yewtree which was set up to look into historic child sex abuse in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal.

The prosecution said Clifford had "used his position of power" to "humilate" the alleged victim into performing a sex act on him after he locked her in his office.

Prosecutor Rosina Cottage QC told the court: "The defendant is a sexual bully who took advantage of his position of power over the youth of the victim to engage in sexual activity she made it plain she did not want to do.

"The defendant ignored her wishes and persisted in his actions, knowing she did not consent."

The alleged victim, who is now married with children, said Clifford insisted she wore skirts to work and would leave "explicit" Polaroid photographs of women on his desk for her to see.

But Clifford denied having taking pictures of "wannabe girls" saying he had been passed "maybe 100" Polaroid images of "young women with their legs wide apart" over his career but never used them.

He claimed the woman's reasons for coming forward were "financial" and denied her allegations that he had made threats to kill her during the alleged incident.

From the witness box he said: "I am not a bully, it's not my nature. I stand up for myself and I stand up for others. I wouldn't bully or compromise a 17-year-old.

"I am a target now."

He has also continued to deny his earlier convictions.

Additional reporting by PA