BBC inquiry begins as sex abuse scandal grows <http://www.afp.com/afpcom/en/> Description: Agence-France PresseBy by Robin Millard | Agence-France Presse 1 hour 2 minutes ago
An inquiry into the BBC's culture and practices got under way with the
broadcaster reeling from allegations of child sex abuse perpetrated by the
late Jimmy Savile, one of its biggest stars.
The probe begins a year to the day since the death of Savile, the eccentric
presenter now considered one of the most prolific sex offenders in British
history, with some 300 alleged victims coming forward in recent weeks.
It also starts a day after 1970s glam rocker Gary Glitter, a convicted
paedophile, was questioned on suspicion of sexual offences, the first arrest
in the widening police probe into the activities of Savile and others around
him.
Janet Smith, a former Court of Appeal judge, is heading an independent
review into the British Broadcasting Corporation's culture and practices
during the decades that Savile worked for the national institution.
Smith, who led the inquiry into the British serial killer Harold Shipman,
will also examine whether the BBC's child protection and whistle-blowing
policies are fit for purpose.
In addition, her remit includes the extent to which BBC staff were aware of
Savile's conduct on the broadcaster's premises.
Meanwhile Britain's top police officer said complaints to various forces
while Savile was alive could have been put together to show a "pattern of
behaviour".
Scotland Yard chief Bernard Hogan-Howe told reporters: "You might have
thought that people would at least have talked about it and intervened.
"It does look as if from time to time people have been concerned, they've
made the start to intervene, but probably then they've relied a little bit
too much on his reputation and his word that he did nothing.
"Probably it appears that people haven't intervened when they've had
suspicions."
Ex-colleagues have said there were rumours about the bachelor throughout his
lifetime, and seven alleged victims filed complaints to the police while he
was alive -- though none led to his arrest.
However, an ITV documentary earlier this month -- which took its cue from a
shelved investigation by the BBC current affairs programme "Newsnight", the
subject of another independent probe -- saw a handful of women make abuse
allegations.
Dozens have come forward since, triggering a crisis at the BBC described as
a "tsunami of filth" by former Hong Kong governor Chris Patten, who chairs
the corporation's BBC Trust governing body.
A former chairman of the BBC's charity Children in Need revealed on Monday
that he had refused to work with Savile, whom he called "a pretty creepy
sort of character."
"When I was with Children in Need we took the decision that we didn't want
him anywhere near the charity and we just stepped up our child protection
policies," explained Roger Jones.
Police are dealing with around 300 alleged victims and following more than
400 lines of inquiry.
Savile's abuse "possibly spanned 50 years", said Hogan-Howe.
The police, the BBC and other organisations "have had individual allegations
that have not been put together to actually show that this person may well
have shown a pattern of behaviour that's been pretty awful," he added.
Savile died aged 84 at his parkside penthouse in his home city of Leeds,
northern England.
The claims against Savile have plunged the BBC into crisis and destroyed the
reputation of a man who, with his garish tracksuits and ever-present cigar,
was one of the most famous faces on British television from the 1960s
through the 1980s.
Glitter, 68, was the first person arrested under the operation, being taken
from his plush central London home to be questioned. He was bailed to return
in mid-December.
The king of the glam rock era, Glitter -- whose real name is Paul Gadd --
sold more than 20 million records and had a string of hits like "I'm The
Leader Of The Gang (I Am)" and "Rock and Roll (Parts 1 and 2)".
Glitter was convicted in Vietnam in 2006 of "obscene acts" with two girls
aged 11 and 12. He served nearly three years in jail before being deported.
An inquiry into the BBC's culture and practices got under way with the
broadcaster reeling from allegations of child sex abuse perpetrated by the
late Jimmy Savile, one of its biggest stars.
File picture from 2002 of Jimmy Savile. An inquiry into the BBC's culture
and practices begins a year to the day since the death of Savile, the
eccentric presenter now considered one of the most prolific sex offenders in
British history, with some 300 alleged victims coming forward in recent
weeks.
BBC director general George Entwistle makes a statement to the media after
giving evidence to Commons Culture Committee on BBC response to the Jimmy
Savile affair in London on October 23.
Former British rock star Gary Glitter, whose real name is Paul Gadd, returns
home in central London on October 28, 2012, after he was arrested earlier in
the day by British police.
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