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Former Judge Opens Inquiry Into Savile Sex Abuse Case Former Judge Opens Inquiry Into Savile Sex Abuse Case
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LONDON — The British Broadcasting Corporation said on Monday that a former senior judge had begun an inquiry into the corporation’s “culture and practices” that lay behind the sexual abuse scandal surrounding the television host Jimmy Savile.LONDON — The British Broadcasting Corporation said on Monday that a former senior judge had begun an inquiry into the corporation’s “culture and practices” that lay behind the sexual abuse scandal surrounding the television host Jimmy Savile.
The inquiry opened on the first anniversary of Mr. Savile’s death at age 84 and a day after the British police, widening the scandal, arrested a former pop star in connection with the case.The inquiry opened on the first anniversary of Mr. Savile’s death at age 84 and a day after the British police, widening the scandal, arrested a former pop star in connection with the case.
The Metropolitan Police arrested Paul Gadd, better known as Gary Glitter from the 1970s heyday of glam rock, who is a convicted pedophile. Mr. Gadd’s arrest followed accusations that he abused a teenage girl on the premises of the BBC. He was released on bail late Sunday after he was questioned in a London police station.The Metropolitan Police arrested Paul Gadd, better known as Gary Glitter from the 1970s heyday of glam rock, who is a convicted pedophile. Mr. Gadd’s arrest followed accusations that he abused a teenage girl on the premises of the BBC. He was released on bail late Sunday after he was questioned in a London police station.
Since the British television station ITV broadcast a documentary about Mr. Savile earlier this month, some 300 people have come forward claiming that they were abused by the outlandish television star. They described a depraved environment in Mr. Savile’s dressing room at the BBC studios where teenage girls were molested by Mr. Savile and others, including Mr. Gadd.Since the British television station ITV broadcast a documentary about Mr. Savile earlier this month, some 300 people have come forward claiming that they were abused by the outlandish television star. They described a depraved environment in Mr. Savile’s dressing room at the BBC studios where teenage girls were molested by Mr. Savile and others, including Mr. Gadd.
The investigation by Dame Janet Smith, a former appeals court judge, is one of two that the BBC has commissioned into the scandal.The investigation by Dame Janet Smith, a former appeals court judge, is one of two that the BBC has commissioned into the scandal.
The other, by Nick Pollard, a former head of the rival Sky News, is looking specifically into a decision last December by an editor at the BBC to cancel an investigation of Mr. Savile’s misconduct at a time when other sections of the corporation were planning Christmastime tributes to him.The other, by Nick Pollard, a former head of the rival Sky News, is looking specifically into a decision last December by an editor at the BBC to cancel an investigation of Mr. Savile’s misconduct at a time when other sections of the corporation were planning Christmastime tributes to him.
Compared to the Leveson Inquiry, whose public inquiries have covered the behavior of the British press in the separate phone hacking scandal, the inquiries into the BBC’s behavior seemed more opaque.Compared to the Leveson Inquiry, whose public inquiries have covered the behavior of the British press in the separate phone hacking scandal, the inquiries into the BBC’s behavior seemed more opaque.
A BBC spokesman and a person representing Dame Janet said her inquiry had started, but they declined to say who was appearing before it or whether it was being held in public.A BBC spokesman and a person representing Dame Janet said her inquiry had started, but they declined to say who was appearing before it or whether it was being held in public.
In response to a reporter’s questions, Carolyn E. Pepper, of the law firm Reed Smith, released a statement saying: “Dame Janet’s view is that it is not appropriate for her to give interviews or provide comment regarding the review at this time. Press information will be issued in due course.”In response to a reporter’s questions, Carolyn E. Pepper, of the law firm Reed Smith, released a statement saying: “Dame Janet’s view is that it is not appropriate for her to give interviews or provide comment regarding the review at this time. Press information will be issued in due course.”
Ms. Pepper said that the review was under way, but that she was not authorized to give further details.Ms. Pepper said that the review was under way, but that she was not authorized to give further details.
The case has shocked the nation and shone an intense spotlight on the BBC. Nagging questions remain there about why the investigation by the “Newsnight” program was abruptly canceled, and how much BBC executives knew about serious allegations that one of its stars had engaged in widespread sexual molestation in the 1970s and 1980s. Over several years, at least seven people complained to four different police forces about Mr. Savile’s behavior, one of them accusing him of molesting her in a trailer in the parking lot of the main BBC television studios in west London.
But Bernard Hogan Howe, the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, also known as Scotland Yard, said on Monday that a proliferation of accusations “have not been put together” to form an overall picture.
“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,” Mr. Hogan Howe told reporters. “If you accept all the public accounts of the activity then it’s possibly spanned 50 years, which is a huge amount of time.”
But he said “probably it appears that people haven’t intervened when they’ve had suspicions. Then, of course, other organizations including the police have had individual allegations that have not been put together to actually show that this person may well have shown a pattern of behavior that’s been pretty awful.”
The case has shocked the nation and shone an intense spotlight on the BBC. Nagging questions remain there about why the investigation by the “Newsnight” program was abruptly canceled, and how much BBC executives knew about serious allegations that one of its stars had engaged in widespread sexual molesting in the 1970s and 1980s.
Mark Thompson, the incoming president and chief executive of The New York Times Company, was director general of the BBC when the decision was made to drop the “Newsnight” investigation into Mr. Savile. Mr. Thompson initially said that he knew nothing about the accusations against Mr. Savile or the “Newsnight” investigation, but later acknowledged that a reporter, Caroline Hawley, had mentioned it to him at a reception shortly after the investigation was halted.Mark Thompson, the incoming president and chief executive of The New York Times Company, was director general of the BBC when the decision was made to drop the “Newsnight” investigation into Mr. Savile. Mr. Thompson initially said that he knew nothing about the accusations against Mr. Savile or the “Newsnight” investigation, but later acknowledged that a reporter, Caroline Hawley, had mentioned it to him at a reception shortly after the investigation was halted.
On Sunday, a British newspaper, The Sunday Times, reported that other attempts were made to question Mr. Thompson about the allegations against Mr. Savile, who died in October 2011. A freelance journalist wrote in the newspaper that he called Mr. Thompson’s office in May of this year, asking about the accusations that Mr. Savile had abused girls on BBC premises.On Sunday, a British newspaper, The Sunday Times, reported that other attempts were made to question Mr. Thompson about the allegations against Mr. Savile, who died in October 2011. A freelance journalist wrote in the newspaper that he called Mr. Thompson’s office in May of this year, asking about the accusations that Mr. Savile had abused girls on BBC premises.
The fact that the network had decided not to air the “Newsnight” program about Mr. Savile was far from a secret. “This was in six different newspapers in January and February,” said David Elstein, a former chief executive of Channel 5, a BBC competitor. The fact that the network had decided not to broadcast the “Newsnight” program about Mr. Savile was far from a secret. “This was in six different newspapers in January and February,” said David Elstein, a former chief executive of Channel 5, a BBC competitor.
“The big failing internally, and this is where Mark comes into the picture, is the deliberate incuriosity of the senior executives,” said Mr. Elstein, who formerly worked at the BBC. “There is a culture of avoiding knowledge so as to evade responsibility.”“The big failing internally, and this is where Mark comes into the picture, is the deliberate incuriosity of the senior executives,” said Mr. Elstein, who formerly worked at the BBC. “There is a culture of avoiding knowledge so as to evade responsibility.”
On Sunday, a spokesman for Mr. Thompson said: “As Mark has made it clear, he had no involvement in the decision not to proceed with the ‘Newsnight’ investigation into Jimmy Savile.”On Sunday, a spokesman for Mr. Thompson said: “As Mark has made it clear, he had no involvement in the decision not to proceed with the ‘Newsnight’ investigation into Jimmy Savile.”
Now, Britons are asking how a sexual predator, and perhaps his friends, could operate without detection in some of the nation’s most respected institutions, not just at the BBC but in hospitals and schools around the country where assaults by Mr. Savile are alleged to have taken place. The inquiry by Dame Janet, who previously led an examination into the case of Harold Shipman, a serial killer and doctor who murdered scores of elderly patients and committed suicide in 2004, is supposed to gather evidence from those who have accused Mr. Savile of abusing them or raised concerns about his activities.
The inquiry by Dame Janet, who previously led an examination into the case of Harold Shipman, a serial killer and doctor who murdered scores of elderly patients and committed suicide in 2004, will gather evidence from those who have accused Mr. Savile of abusing them or raised concerns about his activities. The latest of those to come forward was Sir Roger Jones, a former BBC governor and head of a children’s charity, Children in Need, who said on Monday that he had suspicions about Mr. Savile more than a decade ago, according to an article on the BBC Web site.
The latest of those to come forward was Sir Roger Jones, a former BBC governor and head of a children’s charity, Children in Need who said on Monday that he had suspicions about Mr. Savile more than a decade ago, according to an article on the BBC Web site. “I think we all recognized he was 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 — which again would have put him at risk if he tried anything,” he said.
“I think we all recognized he was 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 — which again would have put him at risk if he tried anything,” he said.
But he acknowledged there was no firm evidence against Mr. Savile. “If you’re going to go on the attack and make claims against him then you’d need evidence, hard evidence that simply wasn’t there,” Sir Roger was quoted as saying.But he acknowledged there was no firm evidence against Mr. Savile. “If you’re going to go on the attack and make claims against him then you’d need evidence, hard evidence that simply wasn’t there,” Sir Roger was quoted as saying.
Dame Janet is also supposed to examine “the extent to which BBC personnel were or ought to have been aware of unlawful and or inappropriate conduct by Jimmy Savile on BBC premises or on location for the BBC,” the BBC said.Dame Janet is also supposed to examine “the extent to which BBC personnel were or ought to have been aware of unlawful and or inappropriate conduct by Jimmy Savile on BBC premises or on location for the BBC,” the BBC said.
Both her inquiry and the investigation by Mr. Pollard are supposed to be independent of BBC control. And she is supposed to determine whether the BBC’s child protection and whistle-blowing policies are adequate. The BBC has also said it is looking into 9 more recent cases related to a variety and sexual harassment and abuse cases, but it has not said who is involved in them.
Both Dame Janet’s inquiry and the investigation by Mr. Pollard are supposed to be independent of BBC control. Speaking of the growing number of accusations, she said in a radio interview last week that “it seems that the material is growing by the day” and she did not know how long her examination would take.
The BBC’s response to the scandal has fed into Britain’s political contest, with the Labour opposition calling for a full independent inquiry while the dominant Conservatives are resisting the idea. “There is always a danger if you set up a very substantial inquiry process of that kind that it takes much longer to get to the truth,” Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said.The BBC’s response to the scandal has fed into Britain’s political contest, with the Labour opposition calling for a full independent inquiry while the dominant Conservatives are resisting the idea. “There is always a danger if you set up a very substantial inquiry process of that kind that it takes much longer to get to the truth,” Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said.
The police indicated last week that arrests would be made, sending shivers through the ranks of celebrities who appeared on Mr. Savile’s television shows, like “Top of the Pops” and “Jim’ll Fix It,” and who feared that their names would be drawn into the scandal, as well as former employees and associates.
The police did not name the man who was arrested Sunday, saying only that he was in his 60s. A spokesman for Scotland Yard said the man was arrested shortly after 7 a.m. “on suspicion of sexual offenses.” The arrest came as part of a widening police inquiry known as Operation Yewtree, into “Jimmy Savile and others,” the spokesman said.The police did not name the man who was arrested Sunday, saying only that he was in his 60s. A spokesman for Scotland Yard said the man was arrested shortly after 7 a.m. “on suspicion of sexual offenses.” The arrest came as part of a widening police inquiry known as Operation Yewtree, into “Jimmy Savile and others,” the spokesman said.
But the British media widely reported that the man who was arrested and questioned was Paul Gadd. Mr. Gadd was convicted of possessing child pornography in Britain in 1999, and was convicted in Vietnam in 2006 of abusing two girls, ages 10 and 11 years; he served more than two years in prison there.But the British media widely reported that the man who was arrested and questioned was Paul Gadd. Mr. Gadd was convicted of possessing child pornography in Britain in 1999, and was convicted in Vietnam in 2006 of abusing two girls, ages 10 and 11 years; he served more than two years in prison there.
Mr. Savile defended Mr. Gadd in an interview that was included in the ITV documentary earlier this month, suggesting that the episode in Vietnam was a setup and that no harm had been done by Mr. Gadd’s possessing pornography.
After the ITV documentary was broadcast, the BBC broadcast a follow-up report in which a witness described Mr. Gadd in Mr. Savile’s dressing room, “having sex with one of the girls” who were there.After the ITV documentary was broadcast, the BBC broadcast a follow-up report in which a witness described Mr. Gadd in Mr. Savile’s dressing room, “having sex with one of the girls” who were there.
Before his death last year at 84, Mr. Savile was one of Britain’s most famous television hosts, known for his garish track suits, peroxide-blond hair and charity work. He was dogged for years by rumors of inappropriate behavior toward underage girls, but several police investigations were abandoned for lack of evidence. Witnesses were wary of coming forward with their stories until after he died. Before his death last year at 84, Mr. Savile was one of Britain’s most famous television hosts, known for his garish track suits, peroxide-blond hair and charity work. The BBC has come under withering criticism for its handling of matters surrounding Mr. Savile. The freelance writer who wrote in The Sunday Times, Miles Goslett, said he had filed a freedom of information request with the BBC in April, four months after the “Newsnight” investigation was halted, specifically asking for any records of written communications or meetings among BBC executives, including Mr. Thompson, concerning the Savile matter.
The BBC has come under withering criticism for its handling of matters surrounding Mr. Savile. Lord Patten, the chairman of the BBC Trust, which oversees the BBC, said in an article in The Sunday Mail that the BBC’s “reputation is on the line” and that the organization “risks squandering public trust,” as a result of the scandal. Mr. Patten also apologized “unreservedly” to the victims who spoke to the “Newsnight” program “presumably at great personal pain, yet did not have their stories told as they expected.”
The freelance writer who wrote in The Sunday Times, Miles Goslett, said he had filed a freedom of information request with the BBC in April, four months after the “Newsnight” investigation was halted, specifically asking for any records of written communications or meetings among BBC executives, including Mr. Thompson, concerning the Savile matter.
In an interview, Mr. Goslett said that when his request was denied in mid-May, he called Mr. Thompson’s office and told an aide, Jessica Cecil, that he wanted to talk to Mr. Thompson about his request and also about “claims that I was aware of that had been made to ‘Newsnight’ that girls were abused on BBC premises by Jimmy Savile in the 1970s.”In an interview, Mr. Goslett said that when his request was denied in mid-May, he called Mr. Thompson’s office and told an aide, Jessica Cecil, that he wanted to talk to Mr. Thompson about his request and also about “claims that I was aware of that had been made to ‘Newsnight’ that girls were abused on BBC premises by Jimmy Savile in the 1970s.”
He said Ms. Cecil referred him to the BBC’s media relations office. A BBC spokeswoman said Sunday that Ms. Cecil did not recall that Mr. Goslett “mentioned the nature of the allegations against Savile.”He said Ms. Cecil referred him to the BBC’s media relations office. A BBC spokeswoman said Sunday that Ms. Cecil did not recall that Mr. Goslett “mentioned the nature of the allegations against Savile.”
Mr. Thompson announced in March that he would step down as director general of the BBC. The New York Times announced in August that Mr. Thompson would join the company in November.Mr. Thompson announced in March that he would step down as director general of the BBC. The New York Times announced in August that Mr. Thompson would join the company in November.
By the time Mr. Goslett made his request in April, there had already been several published reports about the BBC halting an investigation of Mr. Savile that had turned up specific allegations of child sex abuse. The first report, on the Web site of The Mirror on Jan. 8, was entitled “BBC Axe Investigation Into Sir Jimmy Savile and Schoolgirls.” Another was written by Mr. Goslett and included some details of the victims’ accounts. It appeared in February in a London magazine called The Oldie. The same month, The Daily Mail ran an article. By the time Mr. Goslett made his request in April, there had already been several published reports about the BBC halting an investigation of Mr. Savile that had turned up specific allegations of child sex abuse.
The first report, on the Web site of The Mirror on Jan. 8, was entitled “BBC Axe Investigation Into Sir Jimmy Savile and Schoolgirls.” Another was written by Mr. Goslett and included some details of the victims’ accounts. It appeared in February in a London magazine called The Oldie. The same month, The Daily Mail ran an article.
Even so, top BBC executives including Mr. Thompson have said they did not know what the “Newsnight” reporters had found concerning Mr. Savile until the ITV documentary aired in early October.Even so, top BBC executives including Mr. Thompson have said they did not know what the “Newsnight” reporters had found concerning Mr. Savile until the ITV documentary aired in early October.

Matthew Purdy and Lark Turner contributed reporting.

Matthew Purdy and Lark Turner contributed reporting.