SHOCK DELAY
BBC boss says they received ‘incredibly serious’ claim about star but didn’t speak to him until Sun called 7 WEEKS later
THE BBC today launched a review into its complaints procedures after admitting a top presenter was not confronted about “serious allegations” for seven weeks.
Director General Tim Davie said the corporation has paused its investigation into the well-known star at the request of the police.
1
Scotland Yard will now “scope” out whether to launch their own investigation into the sex pic scandal that has rocked the corporation.
But Mr Davie confirmed today that the TV star accused of paying thousands to a teenager, who sent sexual pictures, was not confronted about “serious allegations” made in May.
The corporation made only two attemps to contact the complainants - once by email and once by phone - in the following seven weeks before The Sun confronted bosses.
Only then was the presenter was quizzed by management - on 6 July.
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Mr Davie confirmed he still has not spoken to the presenter over the claims.
According to the BBC, on July 6 “a senior manager held the first conversation on this matter with the presenter concerned, to make him aware of the claims being outlined by The Sun.
“It was agreed that the presenter would not be on air while this matter was being considered.”
But they admit a concerned family member of the youngster had “attended a BBC building, where they sought to make a complaint about the behaviour of a BBC presenter” nearly two months previously on 18 May.
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The following day the “complainant contacted BBC Audience Services; the details of this contact were referred to the BBC’s Corporate Investigations Team.”
Mr Davie admitted that "It was a serious complaint, there were serious allegations and the corporate investigation team judged they wanted to take it further."
But he claimed it would not have been right to contact the presenter until further information had been sought from the complainant, insisting attempts were made to do so.
But regardless he has ordered an investigation into “protocols and procedures” and how complaints are “red flagged” - admitting there will be lessons to be learnt.
He added: “Immediately, I have asked that we assess how some complaints or red flags up the organisation'.
In a statement today the BBC said: “Yesterday, 10 July, the BBC’s Corporate Investigations Team had a meeting with the Metropolitan Police in relation to information provided to the BBC by The Sun newspaper on Thursday 6 July.
"As a result of this meeting, the BBC has been asked to pause its investigations into the allegations while the Police scope future work.
"The BBC has processes and protocols for receiving information and managing complaints when they are first made.
"We always take these matters extremely seriously and seek to manage them with the appropriate duty of care.
"The events of recent days have shown how complex and challenging these kinds of cases can be and how vital it is that they are handled with the utmost diligence and care.
"There will, of course, be lessons to be learned following this exercise.”
The briefing comes after the youngster's stepdad told The Sun of the seven-week delay after the made the bombshell claims.
He also claimed he told Beeb bosses the family had screenshots of contact between their child and the star.
He said: “We put the allegations to them for an hour.”
The stepfather accused the BBC of lying after it said “new allegations” emerged, leading to the star’s suspension on Sunday.
BBC'S TIMELINE OF SCANDAL
May 18
The complainant, a family member, attended a BBC building, with the aim of making a complaint about the behaviour of a presenter.
May 19
That relative then contacted BBC Audience Services and the details of this contact were referred to the Corporate Investigations Team.
This department then assessed the claim and found although it was not criminal in nature, it warranted further investigation.
The BBC’s Corporate Investigations Team emailed the complainant to seek additional information to verify the claims being made but there was no response.
Checks were also made to verify the identity of the complainant. The BBC said this is a standard procedure to confirm that the complainant is the person they say they are.
June 6
After receiving no response to the email, a phone call was made to number provided by the family member but it did not connect.
This led the Corporate Investigations Team to decided to return to the matter in the coming weeks.
No additional attempts to contact the complainant were made after June 6, however the case remained open throughout.
July 6
The Sun contacted the BBC via their press office to report the allegations surrounding the presenter.
The BBC says it became clear that the source of the claims was from the same family as approached the BBC on May 18 and May 19.
This was the first time Mr Davie and other executive directors became aware of the case.
The broadcaster claims the allegations made by The Sun contained fresh information that was not being investigated by the Corporate Investigations team.
The BBC initiated an incident management group involving senior BBC executives including the director-general to lead the response.
The acting chairman was updated, and the board was regularly updated in the coming days, the corporation said.
The presenter was then spoken to for the first time to make him aware of the claims.
It was agreed the presenter would be taken off air while the probe continued.
July 7
Following The Sun’s contact, the BBC’s Corporate Investigations team contacted the complainant again, who was in touch with the BBC’s investigators.
The BBC’s Serious Case Management Framework (SCMF) was initiated and the investigation being undertaken by the Corporate Investigations Team was brought into the SCMF, which is chaired by a human resources director.
The BBC also made contact with the police.
July 8
The family member sent the BBC some materials related to their allegations.
July 9
More materials were sent and the BBC issued an update to staff and the media.
They also confirmed the presenter had been suspended.
July 10
The BBC met with the police to report the matter and discuss how to progress the investigation.
The young person’s lawyer released a statement saying nothing inappropriate or unlawful happened.
The Sun spoke to the youngster’s mum and stepdad, who questioned how they had a lawyer and accused the BBC of “not telling the truth”.
July 11
Mr Davie reveals the Met Police have told them to pause their own investigation.
This is while “the police scope future work” following a meeting with the Beeb yesterday over the allegations.
Speaking on Radio 4, the chief also admitted he has not spoken to the accused presenter.
He also branded the situation “difficult and complex” and said the allegations are “clearly damaging”.
He fumed: “They’re not telling the truth. I told them the youngster was 20 and it had been going on for three years.”
He added: “I told the BBC I had gone to the police in desperation but they couldn’t do anything as they said it wasn’t illegal. They knew all of this.”
He also said the money did not stop, adding: “I don’t even think they spoke to him.”
The BBC star is accused of paying the youngster thousands - with the money allegedly spent on a “spiralling” crack habit.
A lawyer for the youngster says nothing unlawful or inappropriate happened.
But their family say they have only spoken out to help save their vulnerable addict child.
The mother and stepfather also questioned who had paid to provide their child with an expensive lawyer.
The mum said: “It is sad but we stand by our account and we hope they get the help they need.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
“We did this to help - and the presenter has got into their head. How did they afford a lawyer?
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