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Max Clifford guilty: King of spin expected to close his PR company offices Max Clifford Associates following sentencing today

The company’s website has already been suspended

Ella Alexander
Friday 02 May 2014 09:39 EDT

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Max Clifford is expected to close his PR business today, Max Clifford Associates, following his sentencing at Southwark Crown Court.

Its website, Maxclifford.com, has already been suspended. A spokesperson for Clifford could not be reached.

Updated: Clifford was sentenced to eight years in prison today over a string of sexual assault charges. The judge told Clifford his assaults are "not trivial but of a very serious nature" and that some would be considered rape under today's laws.

On Monday, he was found guilty of eight counts of sexual assault on four women between the age of 15 and 19 during an eight-year period from 1977.

Simon Cowell Distances Himself From Max Clifford

The 71-year-old founded Max Clifford Associates more than 20 years ago and has represented high-profile names including OJ Simpson, Jade Goody, Lindsay Lohan and Muhammad Ali. This week, current client Simon Cowell parted ways with him, following his guilty verdict.

The business had allegedly been losing profit over recent years. Although latest financial records show that the firm was making more than £1million a year, the PR mogul revealed during his trial for sexual assault that the company also lost earnings of that amount.

The firm’s offices moved from near Bond Street to Weybridge, Surrey, last year – near to where Clifford lives.

His representatives are expected to announce news of the company’s closure, following the sentencing.

“We've been told not to say anything,” a staff member told Sky News. There will be a statement, at some point after sentencing, that's all I can say.”

Read more: Clifford: The man who couldn't cover his dirty secrets
Grace Dent: How Clifford final lost control
Why size was so important in Clifford trial

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