Jimmy Savile has been described as ‘one of the UK’s most prolific known sexual predators’ in a NSPCC and Metropolitan Police (Met) report that looks into the allegations of sexual abuse against the former TV presenter.
After the documentary ‘Exposure: The Other Side to Jimmy Savile’ shown on ITV in early October 2012, allegations were made against the former television presenter, and others. According to the NSPCC-police report the alleged offences as reported dated between 1955 and 2009 and were mainly in Leeds or London. The sites included the BBC, 13 NHS hospitals (mainly Leeds General and Stoke Mandeville), a hospice, and schools. The report said: “… Savile was hiding in plain sight and using his celebrity status and fundraising activity to gain uncontrolled access to vulnerable people across six decades.” The report added: “Institutions and agencies that may have missed past opportunities to stop Savile’s activities – and organisations where similar sexual abuse could be going on undetected – must now do all they can to make their procedures for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults as robust and rigorous as possible.”
Anyone who had suffered from abuse was encouraged to call the NSPCC to seek help, resulting in allegations against Jimmy Savile over the following months. As Jimmy Savile died in October 2011, aged 84, criminal prosecutions cannot be brought against him, nor can the testimony of his victims be challenged in the courts. Given the lack of potential justice for the victims, the report is being published in the public domain. You can view it via the NSPCC website. About 600 people have come forward since the beginning of Operation Yewtree to provide information, with about 450 cases referring to Jimmy Savile. Police believe that Jimmy Savile used his celebrity status to offend although he had committed sex crimes before he became famous.
Most of the offences have been described as opportunistic sexual assaults, but there were other cases where grooming or planning occurred. Within the recorded crimes there are 126 indecent acts and 34 rape or penetration offences. Peter Watt, NSPCC director of child protection advice and awareness, was author of the report with Met Det Supt David Gray. Peter Watt said: “The sheer scale of Savile’s abuse over six decades simply beggars belief. He is without doubt one of the most prolific sex offenders we have ever come across and every number represents a victim that will never get justice now he is dead. But with this report we can at least show his victims that they have been taken seriously and their suffering has been recognised. At Leeds General Infirmary, Broadmoor Hospital and Stoke Mandeville Hospital he was taken at face value as a volunteer and fundraiser, probably because of his growing celebrity status. Having been accepted at these institutions he gained access to vulnerable children and adults.
“We also know from the huge increase in calls to the NSPCC helpline about sexual abuse that the problem did not die with Savile. Since the Savile scandal broke we have seen a surge in contacts about child abuse, both past and present, with many victims speaking out for the first time.
“Almost 800 additional children have been protected from abuse because the publicity around this case prompted people to contact our helpline.
“We are optimistic that this signals a watershed moment for child protection in this country. We must seize the opportunity if we are to make a lasting change.”
You can view the 37-page report at – http://www.nspcc.org.uk/news-and-views/our-news/child-protection-news/13-01-11-yewtree-report/yewtree-report-pdf_wdf93652.pdf
Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) lead on violence and public protection Chief Constable David Whatton said of the report: “The case of Jimmy Savile reveals a terrible example of sustained abuse by a manipulative individual exploiting a position of power over the vulnerable. Allegations of abuse made long after the event are important – they are not ‘historic’ for victims who may be living with consequences every day. The police service is committed to ensuring victims are supported and have access to justice. It is equally committed to pursuing offenders, many of whom, like Savile, will offend time and again unless stopped.
“The lessons of these disclosures reinforce the importance of the work the police service has done to increase our focus on supporting victims and survivors of sexual offences, whether they are children or adults. This has been achieved by working with partners such as sexual assault referral centres and specialist charities. The coordination and training of specialist police officers and lawyers who understand the needs of children and adults who have been raped or abused and understand the psyche of rapists and paedophiles is vital. The ever closer working relationship between the police and specially trained lawyers in the Crown Prosecution Service at the early stages of investigating allegations has made a difference to convicting rapists. The new proposals on joint police/CPS panels to reconsider decisions where victims who have made the allegations wish that their cases be looked at again, will provide a new mechanism for help to bringing to justice those who have preyed on the vulnerable.
“The investigation of sexual exploitation of children and rape and sexual assaults against adults has made progress in recent years, but there remains more to do and neither the police nor CPS are complacent. The Metropolitan Police investigation of the offences committed by Savile, Operation Yewtree, and the reviews of previous investigations against Savile by the Director of Public Prosecutions have reinforced the need to improve our evidence gathering and testing of suspects. We welcome the DPP’s commitment to work with us to improve justice in this area. We also welcome the DPP’s support in looking at how the court process works to protect victims and give them the confidence to give evidence as well as protecting the rights of suspects.
“In the area of sexual offending specifically relating to children, this case has again reinforced the learning from the Children’s Commissioner and the importance of the ACPO Child Sexual Exploitation Action Plan to continue to improve the ability of the police service to protect children and convict offenders.
“It takes great courage to report abuse. There are still victims and survivors out there who haven’t disclosed to anyone and we encourage them to use those help lines available or report to their local police force.”
