If he has done this he deserved to be punished in the same way as anyone else.
However what I find very distasteful is that the BBC had enough prior knowledge of this raid that they were able to get cameras at the property from several angles, a helicopter overhead, and a reporter simultaneously at his gaff in Portugal.
There are a couple of reasons this is very wrong:
a) The secrecy of the operation could have been compromised. He could have been tipped off by someone in the BBC about the raid and cleared his stash of undesirable material and hot footed it to Portugal.
b) When Camerons aide was arrested for the same thing, it was all done in absolute secrecy. He was allowed to resign and clear his desk and his PC was quietly whisked out of the back door of Downing St. No BBC tip off, no helicopters, minimum embarrassment for all concerned. (
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime...t-9167395.html)
If Cliff is guilty he deserves the correct punishment, if he is innocent the whole affair appears to have been designed to make sure his reputation is fucked anyway.