JIMMY Savile “groomed the nation” and should have been prosecuted at
least three times, two shocking reports said today.
The perverted presenter, described as “a prolific, predatory sex
offender” used his celebrity status to “hide in plain sight” and get away
with his sickening crimes over 60 years.
Commander Peter Spindler, who is leading the national investigation into the
star’s abuse, said: “Savile groomed the nation.”
The Department of Public Prosecutions said Savile could have been brought to
justice in 2009 – the year of his last recorded attack – if cops had taken
victims seriously.
Separate reports by Scotland Yard and NSPCC found there were 214 criminal
offences recorded against him across 28 police forces.
The shocking report found:
– 450 PEOPLE had alleged they had been sexually abused by the BBC
legend.
– Savile was accused of 34 RAPES.
– He carried out 126 INDECENT ACTS.
– 73 PER CENT of his victims were children.
– Victims ranged between the ages of EIGHT and 47-years-old.
– Savile offended in SCHOOLS after pupils wrote to him in Jim’ll Fix It
letters.
– He carried out an indecent assault at the LAST BBC Top of The Pops in
2006 on a girl aged between 13 and 16.
– His earliest offence was in 1955 with the final reported attack in 2009 when
he was AGED 82.
It also revealed that Savile abused his victims at 14 medical sites including
hospitals, mental health units and even a hospice.
One of his alleged victims included a young patient at Great Ormond Street
Hospital – the child later died from an illness.
Prosecution chiefs say Savile – who died aged 84 in 2011 – slipped though the
net when allegations were made in 2009.
Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer said: “I would like to take the
opportunity to apologise for the shortcomings in the part played by the CPS
in these cases.
“If this report and my apology are to serve their full purpose, then this must
be seen as a watershed moment.”
Commander Spindler added: “Savile’s offending footprint was vast, predatory
and opportunistic.
“He cannot face justice today, but we hope this report gives some comfort
to his hundreds of victims. They have been listened to and taken seriously.”
Peter Watt, of the NSPCC, said Savile was “one of the most prolific sex
offenders we have ever come across.”
He added: “It’s clear Savile cunningly built his entire life into gaining
access to vulnerable children.
“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.”
Detective Superintendent David Gray, from the Met’s paedophile unit, said
Savile must have thought about his sex offending “every minute of every
waking day”.
David Cameron’s official spokesman said the Prime Minister believes it “is
absolutely right that every institution involved gets to the bottom of what
has gone on”.
The BBC said it was “appalled” that Jimmy Savile preyed on victims on its
premises and again apologised to those affected.
A spokesman said: “The police report into Jimmy Savile contains shocking
revelations. As we have made clear, the BBC is appalled that some of the
offences were committed on its premises.”
A total of 450 people have come forward alleging sexual abuse against Savile
since October, and within the recorded crimes, there are 34 rapes and 126
indecent acts, the police and NSPCC report said.
Of his victims, 73 per cent were children, with the total victim age range
between eight and 47 years old at the time of the offences .
The Savile investigation has been separated into three strands: allegations
involving Savile, those involving Savile and others, and those involving
others.
So far detectives working on the inquiry, called Operation Yewtree, have
questioned 10 people, including comedians Jim Davidson and Freddie Starr, DJ
Dave Lee Travis and PR guru Max Clifford. They all deny any wrongdoing.
Savile report: The Sun’s justice team respond
By Dr SARA PAYNE and SHY KEENAN
WE are sad to say we feel in many ways that this report was a bit of a missed
opportunity in terms of truly embracing the possible sea change it could
have triggered.
For example, it could have challenged the institutionalised Anti-Victim
Prejudice or AVP that clearly got in the way of justice in the Savile case.
AVP is the very first thing that needs to be challenged if there is any hope
for real change here, but we are glad to see what the report does
acknowledge.
That using fame Jimmy Savile MADE the opportunities he then exploited
to sexually abuse vulnerable children.
Unfortunately it seems to fall short of properly acknowledging that Jimmy
Savile did (on one level or another) groom all of those around him – all of
the time. And that this grooming, the AVP, his fame and wealth got in the
way of victim justice at every possible turn.
This report does indeed expose systemic “failure” on such a
catastrophic scale that we feel it crosses the line from systemic failure to “conspiring
facilitators”.
The report seems to see, but fails to properly acknowledge, the kind of AVP
all of the victims were (and still are) up against when trying to report
these crimes.
But we are glad to see that after all these years they are finally
acknowledging the incredible power of famous paedophiles and how they use
fame to silence and control all those around them.
The CPS goes further to acknowledge the AVP saying: “Prosecutors
treated them and the accounts they gave with a degree of caution which was
neither justified nor required.”
“In order to guard against false allegations, police and prosecutors
have approached complaints of sexual offences with a degree of caution which
is not generally justified.
“In doing so, their concerns understandably reflect those of society
at large, namely that there is a real and prevalent risk to suspects that
someone will make a false allegation that they will find impossible to
disprove.
“Unfortunately, this has often resulted in sexual offences being
subjected to a different and, in reality, more rigorous test than that
applied to other crimes.”
This report is a step in the right direction, but doesn’t go anywhere near far
enough to push for the real sea change needed here
So many changes are needed – ranging from victims getting legally aided
solicitors to a new understanding and protection from paedophile grooming
and Anti-Victim Prejudice.
We say it’s time to really get involved and sign our PETITION
for real child protection and victim support change.