E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
Leslie Lee / Getty Images
Iconic British television presenter Jimmy Savile shows off his OBE award after being honored at London's Buckingham Palace on March 21, 1972.
LONDON — Former BBC star Jimmy Savile was one of Britain’s "most prolific" sex offenders, committing at least 214 sex crimes against victims aged as young as 8, police said Friday.
Investigators released a report cataloging more than 50 years of rapes and indecent assaults. It accused the late television and radio host of using his celebrity status to gain access to vulnerable children in hospitals, nightclubs and even a hospice for the terminally ill.
Almost all the allegations have been made since Savile’s death in 2011, even though the offences date back as far as 1955.
The revelations have triggered a scandal in Britain and prompted a string of public inquiries into how some allegations were not properly investigated while Savile was alive.
"It is now clear that 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 police-led report said. "For a variety of reasons the vast majority of his victims did not feel they could speak out and it’s apparent that some of the small number who did had their accounts dismissed by those in authority including parents and carers."
Savile, who raised an estimated $55 million for charity, achieved fame on BBC shows including "Top of the Pops" and "Jim'll Fix It." In 1990, he was given a knighthood by Britain's Queen Elizabeth and received a Papal Knighthood at the Vatican.
For 20 years, Jimmy Savile's children's show was a highlight of Saturday night family TV on the BBC. But now, British police say 300 people have come forward with claims that Savile abused them during his 60-year broadcasting career. NBC's Annabel Roberts reports.
The offences span 28 police forces across the U.K. and the scale of his abuse is so vast that the report included a map and an index of the alleged locations.
The number of people Savile victimized "simply beggars belief," Peter Watt, co-author of the report [PDF link] and director of children’s charity NSPCC told ITV News.
"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 recognized."
In total, more than 450 have people have come forward to police with allegations of abuse involving Savile. Most but not all victims have been interviewed and to date 214 criminal offences have been formally recorded. They included 34 rapes or serious sexual assaults, according to the report. The last incident recorded occurred in 2009. His victims ranged in age from 8 to 47.
The report concluded:
“The details provided by the victims of his abuse paint the picture of a mainly opportunistic individual who used his celebrity status as a powerful tool to coerce or control them, preying on the vulnerable or star-struck for his sexual gratification. Sadly, this type of behavior is not uncommon in any society - sexual abuse, whether in street gangs, though trafficking or within families and institutions, often involves the use of powerful coercion, intimidation and manipulation to exploit the vulnerable."
In a separate development, Britain’s most senior prosecutor apologized to some of the women abused by Savile, revealing that police missed three chances to take him to trial while he was alive.
Keir Starmer, the director of public prosecutions, said police had been "unjustifiably cautious" investigation four allegations involving girls as young as 14 who said they were abused by Savile in the 1970s.
He said he hoped the organization’s internal review would prove to be a "watershed" moment in the handling of child abuse cases.
In a statement, he said:
"Many people feel that for sexual offences, where it is 'one person's word against another's' and there is no or little scientific or other evidence to support the allegation, no prosecution should be brought. But this is to ignore the reality of many sexual offences which, by their nature, do not usually take place in front of witnesses and result in no meaningful scientific evidence. Taking a cautious approach to all complainants, on the ground that some might be making a false allegation of a sexual offence, can have the consequence that a prosecution for a true complaint may not take place."
Related stories:
'A steep fall' for BBC as child sex abuse scandal rocks the UK
Jimmy Savile abuse scandal stuns Britain: a who's who primer
Report: Pop star arrested in connection with Savile abuse case
Leave a Comment:
I have no idea who this person is but he looks like a pervert. Why is this coming out now. Especially since he's dead. Why didn't any victims come forward years ago..
...maybe authorities should be keeping a closer eye on Piers Morgan...
Most so called stars that you animals worship are sick, disgusting, reprehensible creatures. Most of the celebrity couples who occupy the magazine racks are homosexuals who stage relationships FOR THE MONEY!!!!!! You people who support these sickos are nothing more than animals and automatons. It's truly disgusting!
That's nice. Now put your tinfoil hat back on and crawl back in your hole.
Savile-Michael Jackson-Sandusky-Money power and fame. The media and the yes people around them will cover the abuse up. They are no better then the perverts them self.Just saying.
Are they going to fine the BBC millions of dollars, limit their advertising and sponsors for 4 years, take away his awards and erase his visit to Buckingham Palace? Seems only fair in light of recent actions here in the US in regard to "our" pedophiles.
While I have no doubt that this man was a monster we have to remember human nature. He is dead, most if not all of his victimes are still alive. And even those who weren't victims of actual assault can make a claim that can not be refuted now. As in the case of the woman that said Savile assaulted her while she was sitting next to him, in the audience of his show.
If you watched the video you can see that he is indeed touching her, a little goosing. (which at the time wouldn't even have raised an eyebrow) She first jumps a little then giggles and the encounter continues in a rather comical way; both the host and the 19yr old woman laughing. She now says she was assaulted.
Pedophiles are the scourge of humanity, but so are those who would use the that situation for personal gain.
Don't think for a minute that his victims were limited to 200 some children. The English culture wants to stop the counting of victims for obvious reasons.
Its sort of like a criminal being arrested and claiming "Oh this is the first time I committed such a crime". Ya.....right.
The true number of kids raped most likely number in the thousands!
Also amiss from this story is any talk of counseling or renumeration. Why aren't there victims going after his estate?
Was the Papal Knighthood for his work or his abuses?
Ed Orr, the University of Pennsylvania is not the same as Penn State University. University of Penna. is in Philadelphia, PSU is in State College.
This happens because regular ordinary SHEOPLE like all of you don't stand up to people with titles money and power ...look to yourselves for blame !
2nd Amendment bad.....pedophilia good. Drugs legalized. What's this world coming too.
He has NOT excaped Judgement! Maybe he got by with it here, but he WILL be Judged....and those who gave him a free pass WILL also face Judgement!
How disgusting! Our home grown predator (Sandusky) did exactly what this sick f..k did in England but we finally got the bastard tried and convicted. Saville got away with it its entire life while collecting praised and knighthood. Since I believe in Dante's inferno, I rejoiced knowing he is the deepest level of hell for eternity.
Where is the NCAA and the ESPN sports reporters on this?? NO US team should EVER be allowed to play in England again. Ban them from the Olympics and fine the BBC $50,000,000.
may he enjoy Heaven's guillotine reserved for just his types- He will join the headless Preists- where the headless horsemen ride in spirit
OMG!! The hair alone should have been a dead giveaway. I wouldn't let my child anywhere near someone who looked that hideous!!
He looks like a weirdo... not that all weirdo looking people are pervs... but this guy really, really looks like a weirdo and a perv...
look what color, they do it all over the world
but he looks so normal
seriously, who would leave their child with someone who looked like that?
If there are enough of child molesters out there, they might become a political machine and create an alternative lifestyle for themselves. After all, the homosexuals were successful at convincing the general population they are.
So, a monster rapes girls and you make this about gays? Your fixation on gay people is perverted.
Using this logic, Piers Morgan is a Pedo!
I want to vomit. These predatory crimes can never truly be dealth with until we as a society open our eyes and take meaningful action. You can not have 450 victims over the course of almost 60 years without a whole lot of people knowing full well what was happening and then turning a blind eye.
Obviously, fame and fortune have a lot to do with it...and other cases such as Sandusky and Michael Jackson. We all need to crack down on predators and the scum that know what is happening and fail to step in. Failing to stop abuse is just as bad as being the abuser. No exceptions, no excuses. That INCLUDES Penn State for those of you whining about how they got a raw deal after enabling an abuser for years.
As a mother, I never let my children out of my sight. I watch other people's children like a hawk too. If I see anything that doesn't pass the smell test, I intervene loudly. It's the only way to go. What if it was your child? If my child was touched by this pervert, I would rip his heart out, shove it down his throat and go to jail gladly.
Your children are most likely to be molested by family members, Rachael. I wish it were otherwise, but the most probable threat is in your home.
You can't tell me the BBC didn't know about this !!!!!! They need to be held responsible they are just as guilty !!!!!
I think the NCAA should vacate his Knighthood, suspend all his shows from syndication, and fine the BBC $214 million dollars!
yeah, he doesn't look like a flamer !!!
He raped girls.
still looks like a flamer