Third woman claims she was raped by Sir Clement Freud

A third woman has come forward to claim that Sir Clement Freud sexually assaulted her, after an ITV documentary last night alleged the Liberal MP and broadcaster had sexually abused two young girls between the 1940s and 1970s.

Vicky Hayes, 64, told ITV News that Freud had raped her in the mid-1960s, when she was 17. She said she had told police in 2010, one year after Freud died at the age of 84.

She says he plied her with alcohol and then took her to a deserted house where he "forced himself" on her.

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"I did what he said," she said.

"I was terrified, I was too frightened – you can't imagine unless you have been in that situation. I was paralysed by fear."

Freud tried to rape her again the following day, she added.She said she now recognised he had "groomed" her between first meeting her and the alleged assault."He should not be held up as a pillar of society, he is what I know him to be. He does not to deserve to keep his knighthood," Hayes told the broadcaster.Last night's documentary featured two women who did not know each other and each said Freud had abused them.Sylvia Woosley, who chose to waive her anonymity, revealed how she had met Freud in the late 1940s, when she was ten, and was sent to live with him when she was 14. She said he abused her sexually for years.The second woman, whose identity was not disclosed, said Freud had abused her as a child and violently raped her when she reached 18.

It has also emerged that Freud's name was passed to police as part of Operation Yewtree, the inquiry into historic sexual abuse started after Sir Jimmy Savile was exposed as a serial paedophile and rapist, says The Guardian.

As a Liberal MP, Freud shared an office with Sir Cyril Smith, who has also been exposed as a paedophile who abused children placed in care.

Responding to the claims made in the ITV film, Freud's widow, Jill, said: "This is a very sad day for me. I was married to Clement for 58 years and loved him dearly.

"I am shocked, deeply saddened and profoundly sorry for what has happened to these women. I sincerely hope they will now have some peace."