Victims of Jimmy Savile and Stuart Hall blast Cliff Richard’s call for sex pest anonymity

TWO victims of Jimmy Savile and Stuart Hall have blasted Sir Cliff Richard’s call for all alleged sex pests’ names to be kept secret until charges are brought.

Vanessa Walker, 64, was sexually assaulted by former It’s A Knockout TV host Hall at age 26 after she went on a show in 1981 and crew invited her to sunbathe then left her alone with Hall.

Kevin Cook, 50, branded Sir Cliff’s campaign as “insulting”. Kevin went on Savile’s Jim’ll Fix It show as a cub scout, at age nine, and was lured to his room then assaulted as the pervert leered: “Are you ready to earn your badge?”

But after Vanessa and another woman shopped Hall in 2012, his name was made public and more victims came forward.

If Sir Cliff’s nearest and dearest had been assaulted he’d want police to have every resource

She told us: “If Sir Cliff’s nearest and dearest had been assaulted he’d want police to have every resource. Releasing Hall’s name encouraged more people to come forward — at least 15.”

Sir Cliff, 78, won a privacy case against BBC coverage of a 2014 raid on his home, following an unfounded child sex claim. He was never arrested or charged but Sir Cliff says his life was left in “tatters” by the publicity.

Vanessa’s ordeal in the sun began as Hall rubbed sun lotion on to her legs as she protested. He then begged her for sex, pushed her against a wall and tried to kiss her before following her to her hotel room.

She says: “He put his foot in the door so I slammed it shut. If I hadn’t, he’d have tried to rape me.” She was too scared to report the attack until an ITV exposé of celebrity sex pests was made in 2012, the year after Savile’s death.

The retired nurse, now a councillor in Hull, found the courage to speak out after learning another woman had come forward about Hall.

She says: “People are innocent until proven guilty but Hall being named encouraged many women to come forward.” In 2013, he pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting 13 girls aged nine to 17 from 1967 to 1986. Now 89, he was released in 2015 after serving half his sentence.

Meanwhile Savile victim Kevin only broke his silence after the serial rapist was named by other victims.

Coming up with something that would protect a minority rather than the huge numbers of sufferers like me is insulting

Dad-of-two and restaurant worker Kevin, of Essex, said: “He pulled my shorts down. I sat there frozen. He said, ‘Don’t you dare tell. We know where you live’.

“For around 35 years, I kept it secret. I felt it was my fault. But then those people coming out made me realise maybe it wasn’t.

“I spoke out publicly and I no longer think it was my fault. But there’s no way this would have happened if Sir Cliff’s laws had been in.

“He is not thinking of the sufferers. His law would mean we’ve learned nothing from Savile. Coming up with something that would protect a minority rather than the huge numbers of sufferers like me is insulting.”

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