The Jimmy Savile situation - Another Jimmy In Cuffs. Who Next, Jimmy Hill?

[SiHart]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news...ording-1218690

Telly legend Sir Jimmy Savile will be named as a *paedophile in a shocking new documentary.

Several victims will speak on camera and claim that the star, who died last October, abused them when they were under-age.

The programme will claim that Sir Jimmy used his position as host of shows *including Top Of The Pops, Jim’ll Fix It and Clunk Click to find girls who he abused.

And it will reveal that the DJ “groomed” victims, all female, as he travelled around the country under-taking charity work.

The documentary is lined up to be shown in a prime-time slot on ITV1 before the first anniversary of his death on October 29.

The show is the result of a long-running investigation and is presented by leading criminologist and child protection expert Mark Williams-Thomas. It is produced by Lesley Gardiner, who also worked with Mr Williams-Thomas on the mini series To Catch A *Paedophile.

TV regular Mr Williams-*Thomas, a former detective, has spent months looking into Sir Jimmy’s past after being made aware of a number of victims.

A source spoken to by programme-makers said: “The *programme is the result of a very lengthy investigation, which has been kept highly confidential.

“There have been rumours circulating for years about Sir Jimmy from his days on television. But up until now nobody has got any victims to speak out.

“I have been told that in the programme are both witnesses and victims, some of whom have waived their right to anonymity to speak out for the first time. All their stories match up, as the *allegations they make are all very similar in the description of what Sir Jimmy did.

“They give detailed *accounts of grooming *followed in time by assaults, some of which they claim took place at the BBC.”

The source added: “Mark and Lesley have been quite surprised by just how much they have found on Sir Jimmy and how very serious it all is. This is not just *touching, it is much worse than that.”

The documentary hears accounts from alleged *victims in the 1970s when Sir Jimmy was at the height of his fame as a presenter of Top Of The Pops. It also looks into complaints about the star which were made to police in 2007.

An investigation was *carried out by Surrey Police into a historic allegation of child sexual abuse at a Surrey school, but the Crown *Prosecution Service decided to take no action due to *insufficient evidence.

Sir Jimmy was a wealthy man who had never married and his life had attracted speculation and gossip.

There have been several reports about his colourful lifestyle since he died, *including claims that he fathered a love child and had a secret girlfriend.

A tireless charity worker, he is thought to have raised more than £40million for good causes and gave away 90 per cent of his income. The programme will claim he met alleged victims through his fundraising.

He died at his home in Leeds just before his 85th birthday and *requested that his belongings be sold for charity after his death.

Sir Jimmy, known for his big cigars and his catchphrase “Now then, now then”, took part in 212 marathons for good causes. It led to him being *knighted and forming a close relationship with members of the Royal Family and politicians, including former Prime Minister Baroness Thatcher.

Last month an auction of his *belongings raised a further £320,000 for his charities during a non-stop 13-hour sale.

His Rolls-Royce fetched £130,000, his original Jim’ll Fix It chair reached £8,500 and hundreds of smaller items went for hundreds of pounds each. An ITV spokesman said: “We *routinely have numerous ideas which we are researching and *developing across all *programme *areas”.

A TV source added: “They *really like the *programme and are looking to *finalise the commission in the coming weeks.” Confronted by the *allegations about Sir Jimmy, his niece Janet Humble has said it is just *“muck-raking”.

She said: “As a family, we just wish Sir Jim could be left to rest in peace. He did more good than bad in his life.”

Stephen Purdew, Sir Jimmy’s friend of 30 years who helped to organise the funeral, said: “These allegations are from 40 years ago. He’s not even alive to defend himself.”

What do we think of this denizems of PS?

[Anthony Williams]

I agree with Stephen Purdew - the allegations are REALLY OLD. He's not around to defend himself anymore.

Whether he was a paedophile or not no longer matters. If he was, the victims will never get any justice now, while Sir Jimmy's family will just experience the pain and humiliation of these allegations. If he wasn't, then they're effectively slandering the dead.

Let sleeping dogs lie, and show some respect for the dead. You're better than this, ITV. Oh, wait. No you're not. You're the same people who did the vile Martin Bashir on Michael Jackson programme.

[Nyder]

Hmmm interesting. I will watch the programme & reserve judgement until then. If it is true, I wonder why the story hasn't surfaced until now?

[Si Hunt]

I'm very dubious, especially about so called "grooming". We'll see what he's supposed to have done. Maybe it's people on the make. Or else why wait til now to come forward?

We in this country don't quite understand people who don't have any sexual partners. We tend to assume something devious must be going on.

Si.

[Rob McCow]

I don't want this to be true and if it is, I don't want to know about it.

leading criminologist and child protection expert Mark Williams-Thomas. It is produced by Lesley Gardiner, who also worked with Mr Williams-Thomas on the mini series To Catch A *Paedophile.

I wonder what muck people will rake up after these two gentlemen have passed on?

[SiHart]

An investigation was *carried out by Surrey Police into a historic allegation of child sexual abuse at a Surrey school, but the Crown *Prosecution Service decided to take no action due to *insufficient evidence.

Well obviously insufficient evidence wasn't enough for Mr Williams-Thomas, not when there's money to made on ITV.

[Jeff]

I'm very dubious, especially about so called "grooming". We'll see what he's supposed to have done.

It's probably in poor taste but I couldn't help but imagine a guy going across the country combing girls hair and clipping their fingernails...

[Alex]

I find this sort of thing a tad distasteful - as mentioned, if he was guilty of any crime he should have been prosecuted for it whilst alive, and I can't see what good can come out of this now.

What I found weird is this sort of thing seems to have been quite common place in the seventies, and certain extremely well known rock bands were notorious for sleeping with groupies who were as young as 13, yet nothing has ever been done about this. And whilst out in America, John Peel married a 15 year old girl (albeit legally in the US state they were in) yet no one bats an eyelid over that...

[Dino]

Agree, this should have been done years ago. Several people coming forward sounds ominous.
This might be worth another thread, but the UK has got to sort out rape laws.
Particularly the reporting of.
It's not right to have people plastered all over the front pages when they have been accused. When they have been found guilty (And even then, the detection and evidence has got to be tightened up beyond all reasonable doubt) then I'd expect to see their faces everywhere.

As for the documentary, it'll either get shelved or spoiled in the papers on the actual day. And what the hell are they going to do? Dig him up just so people can shoot him in the face? What are ITV doing to stop or deal with the abuse that's happening right now?

And as a childless, single person myself... it's not going to be a good time to be an "eccentric".

[WhiteCrowNZ]

When they have been found guilty (And even then, the detection and evidence has got to be tightened up beyond all reasonable doubt) then I'd expect to see their faces everywhere.

What's worrying is that due to the low rate of prosecutions there's a lot of talk about for rape moving it to no longer be "beyong all reasonable doubt", which is disturbing (the idea of making some crimes that it's enough to essentially sentence someone for "strong suspicion).

[Mike Saville]

I can understand why a young person might not want to talk about stuff if it happened. That's fair enough. But if these alleged offences took place nearly 40 years ago, they've had plenty of adult life to mention it. Making a claim this far after, whether the accused is alive or not, should not be acceptable.

[Zbigniev Hamson]

But if these alleged offences took place nearly 40 years ago, they've had plenty of adult life to mention it. Making a claim this far after, whether the accused is alive or not, should not be acceptable.

I can't help but think that if this wasn't about someone famous and/or dead then people might be feeling a little differently.

[Mike Saville]

Actually, it's something I feel strongly about, regardless of who it is. I had a friend who was publicly accused of a sexual assault 3 years after the alleged offence, at which point there is absolutely no way to prove innocence or guilt forensically. Trial should be by evidence, not by hearsay and he says/she says.

Don't get me wrong, if Savile was guilty of said crimes, I have no problem with a naming and shaming. I have no sentimental need to 'spare his poor family'. What I do have a problem with is no physical proof and no right to reply. It may be that the former is in abundance, we'll doubtless see soon enough.

The other issue I have with these accusers is that if they were seduced all those years ago, then these people allowed him to remain in a position where he could continue to abuse his position.

I dunno. The cynic in me thinks perhaps he was guilty 35 years ago... and the monthly silence payments only stopped around a year ago. But that couldn't possibly be the case.

[WhiteCrowNZ]

Remember at the time, there would have been a whole other attitude going on in the 70s - 80s. Remember the whole paedophile Catholic Priests who were hushed up.

I do find this kind of thing annoying, because no sense of justice can come out of this now. Just lots of lurid tabloid pages.

[Larry]

I really don't know what to think about these allegations against Jimmy Saville but what I will say is I've always found him creepy of course that does not mean he was a pedeophile.

[Mike Saville]

He's a Savile. Not a SavilLe.

Not that I'm distancing myself from him in any way...

[Dino]

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/ji...s-8189637.html

A string of women have given shocking accounts of how they were allegedly sexually abused by Jimmy Savile when they were young girls, it was revealed today.

The assaults occurred in public places including hospitals, schools and the BBC studios where the children’s TV presenter recorded his family shows, it is claimed.

The explosive accusations, ranging from rape to indecency, are made by up to 10 women who claim that their lives have been “destroyed and devastated” by the late DJ, knighted in 1990.

According to the allegations in a TV documentary screened next Wednesday, Savile abused girls as young as 13 at the height of his fame.

The ITV programme will feature between five and 10 women claiming he was a sexual predator who took advantage of their vulnerablility.

A source who worked with the investigation team told the Standard the show contains “shocking material that really lifts the lid on the icon” and “goes beyond anybody’s comprehension” of what Savile was capable of.

The flamboyant star, who died aged 84 last October, hosted Clunk Click, his 1970s BBC family show, and Jim’ll Fix It, which ran till the mid-Eighties. He also presented the first edition of Top of the Pops in 1964 and the last in 2006.

Some of those who contributed to the documentary are believed to be former pupils of Duncroft Approved School in Staines, Surrey, where Savile was a regular visitor.

Two claimed that he took them for drives in his car and gave them money, cigarettes, records and places in the Clunk Click studio audience in return for “sexual favours”.

In 2007 Surrey Police received a complaint from a woman who said she was indecently assaulted by Savile at Duncroft in the Seventies.

The allegation was investigated but no further action taken.

The documentary — Exposure: The Other Side Of Jimmy — took 12 months to make and the final edit was being done today.

Former Surrey police officer and child protection expert Mark Williams-Thomas is fronting the programme. At least two of the alleged victims have waived their rights to anonymity.

The source added: “These are women who were abused as children.

“They tell how it has destroyed and devastated their lives. It affects them to this day.

“Most of them have not told this story before. It is the first time they have spoken in detail about everything. It’s explosive stuff.”

The BBC had originally hoped to broadcast the allegations in a Newsnight report in December but it was dropped as it was “unable to substantiate” key facts. The corporation later screened two tribute programmes celebrating Savile’s lengthy BBC career.

Well of course, why didn't they stop Jimmy at the time? I think there's no way Jimmy could have done this single handedly. There must have been a select couple who knew what Jimmy might have done. Minders, others.
Sorry for ruining your weekend. But this is grim. I admit, I'm not his biggest fan anyway. But there's nothing pleasant about this issue.
The programme has to make it clear how this couldn't happen again. Unless the women have all banded together to discredit.
Jimmy's family must be destroyed by all this.

[SiHart]

So did anyone actually watch the documentary in the end?

There's news from the BBC on this today: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-19801768

[Nyder]

Yes I saw it this morning (instead of Crossroads!) The evidence was very compelling and disturbing. He would definitely have been arrested - which begs the question, why did all this come out AFTER his death. The clip of him with Gary Glitter was very telling.

He used to visit a school for girls with behavioural problems, and take them out for "drives" in his car - with the staff's blessing. Can you imagine that happening today? Such was the power (and trust) afforded to celebrities in the 70s.

[Si Hunt]

Yeah we might have to start revising our opinions and considering that he might have been a bit ropey.

The real difference is that, a former police offer told the Standard yesterday, that they heard there had been allegations and sounded off Fleet Street but were told Jimmy was "too popular and does too much charity work" so no-one would touch the story. Nowadays, the bigger they are, the harder they'd knock them down.

That all said, and I haven't seen the TV programme, it sounds like a groupie thing. Yes it was illegal but everyone pretends that there arn't/wern't 14 year old girls who wanted to shag a celebrity.

Si.

[Nyder]

The inference from the programme was none of it was consensual, and that he forced himself on these girls when he got them on their own.

A lot of it also went on in the dressing rooms of BBC TVC. That'll be an interesting question to ask on the tour!

[Si Hunt]

A statue of Jimmy Savile has been removed from a Glasgow leisure centre.

The figure had been unveiled at Pollok Country Park in 1993 before being installed at the children's swimming pool at Scotstoun Leisure Centre.

In case the statue comes to life and starts chasing the kids.

Si.

[Nyder]

I keep thinking of the lyrics to Jim'll Fix It:-

"your letter is only the start of it"

Unfortunately that seemed to be the case....

[Si Hunt]

Clunk Click!

Si.

[Dino]

A good joke and a comment in current Private Eye issue.

"Childline founder Esther Rantzen was a notable contributor to the ITV documentary that levelled various accusations of child abuse against Jimmy Savile, saying that there had been rumours about the abuse as long as 40 years ago. Rantzen explained that one reason she had not spoken out before about the rumours was that Savile had seemed, er, "untouchable" when at the height of his fame. If only she had been close at the time to a senior BBC executive in a position to investigate it... such as Desmond Wilcox, say, the Beeb's head of general features from 1972 to 1980, who happened to be Rantzen's lover and then husband for those eight years."

And there's a cartoon of Esther with a box of kleenex on a TV screen as a couple watch with a newspaper on their laps with "Jimmy Savile allegations" written on it.

"He's fixed it for Esther Rantzen to get back on television"


And if that seems a cheap shot, you might want to avoid the following joke on page 21 of the same issue:

NEW SAVILE ENQUIRY ANNOUNCED
By Our Correspondent
Peter Philia

It has been announced that there will be a new Savile enquiry to be set up on ITV, to investigate what happened backstage during the "Top Of The Pops" Xmas party of 1978.
"I'm hoping that armies of lawyers and QCs will get drafted in at great expense to establish things that everybody knew very well had happened, but everyone feebly denied at the time." said the Right Honourable Jeremy Toe-Tapper QC, adjusting his wig with glee.
"It'll be just like old times. There are literally dozens of witnesses whom we've sort of ignored before but can now interview at great length, now that the guilty parties won't be called to account."
Jimmy Savile was, of course, responsible for "Bloody Sunday Afternoon" where he played lots of old records and talked excruciating nonsense for several hours just after lunch.

Those Savile Programmes In Full

1. Top Of The Pervs
Sir Jimmy reveals his greatest bits.

2. Clunk Click
Sir Jimmy tells us about the importance of restraints when embarking on a ride.

3. This Is The Age Of The Teen
Sir Jimmy extols the virtues of First Class (Class 1A, Duncroft School)

4. Jim'll F*** It
Popular show where children are given a badge for allowing Sir Jimmy's dreams to come true.