Jailed publicist Max Clifford dies aged 74 after collapsing in prison

Jailed former celebrity publicist Max Clifford has died after collapsing in prison.

Clifford, 74, who was serving eight years for indecent assault against a number of women, fell in at Littlehey Prison on Thursday.

He was transferred to a local hospital after collapsing for a second time in the space of 24 hours at the Cambridgeshire jail.

The publicist was described as being "in a bad way" after he then suffered a cardiac arrest on Friday.

The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) confirmed that Clifford died on Sunday.

Daughter Louise described her father as "hugely loved" and vowed to continue in her bid to clear Clifford's name.

Clifford with OJ Simpson in 1996. Credit: PA

Before his death, Ms Clifford told the Mail on Sunday that her father first collapsed while cleaning his cell.

"It was just too much," she said.

Paying tribute to him, Ms Clifford said he had been ill for some time with heart problems.

"It with great personal sadness that I must announce that my father Max Clifford passed away in the early hours of Sunday morning," she said.

"He was hugely loved by the many people in his life for the compassionate, kind, funny man that he was.

"Myself and his legal team lead by Sarah Forshaw QC will continue to pursue his appeal hearing and get him the justice he was denied in life."

Clifford with 'Freddie Starr Ate My Hamster' edition in the background. Credit: AP

At the height of his career, Clifford counted Muhammad Ali, Frank Sinatra and Chelsea Football Club as among his clients.

He also helped launch the career of The Beatles by sending press releases about their debut single Love Me Do.

His work was immortalised when The Sun published the front page headline Freddie Starr Ate My Hamster - a story the publicist later admitted was a complete fallacy.

But his fall came when he became the first person to be convicted under Operation Yewtrew of historic sex offences in 2014.

He was then jailed for eight years at Southwark Crown Court after being found guilty of eight indecent assaults on women and girls as young as 15 over a two-decade period.

A spokesman for the MOJ said: "As with all deaths in custody, there will be an investigation by the independent Prisons and Probation Ombudsman

"Our condolences are with Mr Clifford's family at this difficult time."