Jimmy Savile abused children on ‘national scale’ – Met

Scotland Yard has formally recorded eight criminal allegations against the star, including two of rape and six of indecent assault.

Commander Peter Spindler, head of specialist crime investigations, said the allegations span four decades and information so far suggests abuse was on a “national scale”.

He said there are currently 120 lines of inquiry, although some could be duplicates.

Mr Spindler told reporters: “Information is coming in as we speak probably.

“The reality is this really has captured the public’s mind. We are getting calls from victims, from witnesses and third parties who believe they know something about it.

Eight criminal allegations

“We have formally recorded eight criminal allegations against Savile. Two of those are rape, six of indecent assault.

“These are primarily against girls in their mid-teens, so between 13 and 16 and it spans four decades of abuse.”

He said the first dated back to about 1959 but most seemed to be in the 70s and 80s.

Scotland Yard has contacted alleged victims who have been talking to ITV and the BBC, to see if they will co-operate, he said.

“We believe there are probably another 20 potential victims there,” Mr Spindler added.

“It is too early for us to give you an accurate picture of what 120 lines of inquiry will distil down to but we believe we will come up with between 20 to 25 victims.”

BBC not being investigated

Mr Spindler said police are working to identify anyone who could be subject to criminal investigation. The BBC is not being investigated, he said.

Asked if allegations related to any institutions other than those mentioned in previous claims – the BBC, the Jersey children’s home, or the school in Staines – he said he had contacted Stoke Mandeville Hospital and Leeds Royal Infirmary.

“The pattern of his offending behaviour does appear to be on a national scale,” he said.

Mr Spindler said police will produce a joint report with the NSPCC to look to see what lessons can be learned and what conclusions can be drawn, which can be shared with other agencies.

Calling it an “assessment”, rather than an investigation, he said it is being carried out by Scotland Yard and being led by its serious case team, which looks at complex and history cases.

Keen for a ‘swift conclusion’

There are seven officers working on the case, but that will go up to 10 tomorrow “because we are keen to draw this to a swift conclusion”, he said.

Mr Spindler said a provisional search of Scotland Yard’s records could not find any record of any previous investigation into Savile, and they were only previously aware of the involvement of Surrey Police.

Although it is in its early stages, he said allegations suggested Savile’s “predilection for teenage girls”.

“There is a pattern of behaviour that is being presented to us which ultimately we will hope to analyse and present in a final report in some weeks time,” he said.