Duncroft School: Jimmy Savile officer criticised

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-42516042

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A senior officer would have had a "case to answer" over his handling of the Jimmy Savile case, a report has found.

The Surrey Police detective inspector, who is now retired, would have faced misconduct proceedings if he were still active, the police watchdog found.

He failed to pass an allegation against the disgraced TV star to a neighbouring force, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said.

The force said there were "things which should have been done differently".

A detective constable who worked on the case also performed "unsatisfactorily", the IPCC found.

'Celebrity influence'

Its report concerned the actions of both officers, who investigated sex offences at Duncroft School, in Staines, allegedly committed in the 1970s.

Surrey Police launched a two-year investigation into the school in 2007.

The IPCC said:

Investigators also found Savile's status as a "very well-known celebrity" influenced decision-making during the investigation.

His status appeared to have been "considered throughout" by the senior officer, referred to as DI B in the report.

In particular, the watchdog said:

However, Savile's high profile had "no influence" on the ultimate outcome of the investigation, according to the report.

'Pattern of abuse'

Although the IPCC found no other evidence of wrongdoing, it did express concern at some aspects of the investigation.

These included:

The second officer's performance was also described as unsatisfactory and falling below the expected standards of professional behaviour.

But, the report said, she would not have had to answer a case for professional misconduct.

In a statement, Surrey Police said it investigated alleged sex offences by Savile at Duncroft in 2007-09.

It said: "Whilst the enquiries in the original 2007-09 investigation pre-dated much of what we now know about Savile and his pattern of abuse, the force has always accepted there are things which should have been done differently."

"These were highlighted in a report Surrey Police published in 2013 and relevant organisational learning was implemented as a result."

As part of its investigation, Surrey Police interviewed more than 100 former pupils at Duncroft, a school for emotionally-disturbed girls which closed in the 1980s.

Savile, who died in 2011 aged 84, was a Radio 1 DJ and the presenter of the Jim'll Fix It show on BBC One.

He was one of Britain's most prolific sex abusers and is thought to have assaulted hundreds of people between the ages of five and 75.

Savile denied allegations of abuse at the school when questioned by police in 2009.