Jimmy Savile: Scotland Yard’s child abuse team to handle Savile allegations

SCOTLAND Yard will “work closely” with the BBC as it takes the national lead in assessing allegations against late TV presenter Sir Jimmy Savile.

• Five women claim they were abused by Jimmy Savile in late 1960s and 1970s

• Claims presenter took schoolgirls to his Top of the Pops dressing room

• BBC co-operating with police over the allegations

A growing number of victims have come forward to allege that he sexually assaulted them, after five women took part in a documentary claiming that they had been abused.

In the film, screened on Wednesday night, some of the alleged victims accused the Jim’ll Fix It presenter of sexually assaulting them on BBC premises.

MP Anne Main has written to Lord Justice Leveson asking him to investigate how the BBC handled the allegations as part of his inquiry into press standards.

It has emerged this week that Surrey, Sussex and Jersey Police received complaints about Savile in the past but concluded there was not enough evidence to pursue them.

Scotland Yard is currently considering a number of allegations, including an historic rape claim referred to them by Surrey Police.

The Metropolitan Police said the assessment of claims will be led by the force’s Child Abuse Investigation Command, and that a formal investigation had not yet been launched.