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Fearing Legal Claims, Bank Freezes Estate of Jimmy Savile Fearing Legal Claims, Bank Freezes Estate of Jimmy Savile
(about 3 hours later)
A British bank says it has frozen the estate of the disgraced television host Jimmy Savile because of possible claims for damages arising from accusations of sexual abuse that include misconduct on the premises of the British Broadcasting Corporation and at hospitals where he pursued charitable projects.A British bank says it has frozen the estate of the disgraced television host Jimmy Savile because of possible claims for damages arising from accusations of sexual abuse that include misconduct on the premises of the British Broadcasting Corporation and at hospitals where he pursued charitable projects.
NatWest Bank, which is the executor and trustee of Mr. Savile’s estate following his death at age 84 last year, said in a statement on Wednesday that “given the claims raised, distribution of the estate has been put on hold.”NatWest Bank, which is the executor and trustee of Mr. Savile’s estate following his death at age 84 last year, said in a statement on Wednesday that “given the claims raised, distribution of the estate has been put on hold.”
Details of Mr. Savile’s will were published by The Financial Times which said it had obtained a copy of the document written in 2006 bequeathing his wealth to 26 beneficiaries, most of it — 3.7 million pounds or $5.9 million to be held in a charitable trust established in his name. The overall value of the estate was estimated at 4.3 million pounds or $6.98 million.Details of Mr. Savile’s will were published by The Financial Times which said it had obtained a copy of the document written in 2006 bequeathing his wealth to 26 beneficiaries, most of it — 3.7 million pounds or $5.9 million to be held in a charitable trust established in his name. The overall value of the estate was estimated at 4.3 million pounds or $6.98 million.
As the sexual abuse scandal has unfolded, the administrators of Mr. Savile’s main charitable organizations have already announced that they plan to wind up the trusts and distribute their holdings to other philanthropic institutions.
British police officials say around 300 people — mainly women — have told officers investigating decades of abuse that they were abused as underage girls by Mr. Savile, whose television shows brought him into regular contact with young people. He also conducted charitable work at three hospitals in the northern city of Leeds and at Stoke Mandeville and Broadmoor — a high security psychiatric hospital — in the south.British police officials say around 300 people — mainly women — have told officers investigating decades of abuse that they were abused as underage girls by Mr. Savile, whose television shows brought him into regular contact with young people. He also conducted charitable work at three hospitals in the northern city of Leeds and at Stoke Mandeville and Broadmoor — a high security psychiatric hospital — in the south.
A former porter at the Leeds General Infirmary told the BBC this week that he became suspicious of Mr. Savile when he arrived at the hospital in the early hours accompanied by teenage girls and was handed the keys to a building used for nurses’ accommodations.A former porter at the Leeds General Infirmary told the BBC this week that he became suspicious of Mr. Savile when he arrived at the hospital in the early hours accompanied by teenage girls and was handed the keys to a building used for nurses’ accommodations.
The girls seemed “star-struck” and “not streetwise,” the former porter, Terry Pratt, said. The girls seemed “star-struck” and “not streetwise,” the former porter, Terry Pratt, said. The hospital has called Mr. Pratt’ claims “mistaken,” saying in a statement that he “appears to have been talking about a period in the 1980s before he started work at the hospital in 1990 and not from firsthand knowledge.”
The Financial Times said the beneficiaries of Mr. Savile’s will included trustees of his charities and former employees of Leeds General Infirmary and Broadmoor hospital. The newspaper also reported that the estate had been frozen earlier over claims by a woman who said she was Mr. Savile’s illegitimate daughter. The Financial Times said the beneficiaries of Mr. Savile’s will included trustees of his charities and former employees of Leeds General Infirmary and Broadmoor hospital. The newspaper also reported that the estate had been frozen earlier over claims by a woman who said she was Mr. Savile’s daughter.
Alan Collins, a solicitor specializing in child abuse cases, said in a statement on his company’s Web site that “at least a dozen” people claiming to have been abused by Mr. Savile had contacted his firm, Pannone. In a telephone interview, Alan Collins, a solicitor specializing in child abuse cases, said around 20 people claiming to have been abused by Mr. Savile — with equal numbers of men and women — had contacted his firm, Pannone.
“It is highly likely that a number of these calls will result in legal action,” he said. “It comes as no surprise to me to see that other victims are coming forward now. With abuse cases it is quite common for victims to suppress thoughts of their abuse until something acts as a trigger to reawaken visions of the past.” It was not immediately clear whether legal action would be brought against the BBC and the state-run National Health Service, on whose premises some of the abuse is said to have taken place. “The primary case is against the estate”of Mr. Savile, Mr. Collins said, but institutions could be added to law suits later.
It was not immediately clear whether legal action would be brought against the BBC and the state-run National Health Service, on whose premises some of the abuse is said to have taken place. The Pannone law firm has appealed for witnesses to an event in the early 1970s on the south coast of England, publishing a photograph of a boy standing next to one of a series of Rolls-Royce automobiles owned by Mr. Savile. The boy’s face has been disguised in the photograph. Mr. Collins said many people had responded to the appeal. “It’s a growing phenomenon,” he said.
In a separate statement Mr. Collins said the decision by NatWest to freeze Mr. Savile’s estate was likely to facilitate legal claims by his accusers that could now be made without preliminary action to prevent the distribution of bequests under the terms of the will. He added that his firm was “also actively pursuing inquiries into Savile’s overseas assets, which we believe are being administered in Guernsey,” an island tax haven.
The scandal is not solely about the accusations of abuse. Late last year, the editor of a BBC current affairs program, “Newsnight,” canceled an investigation of Mr. Savile, saying he was acting for journalistic reasons. The cancellation has raised questions — now under investigation by the BBC — about the role, if any, of senior executives in the cancellation.The scandal is not solely about the accusations of abuse. Late last year, the editor of a BBC current affairs program, “Newsnight,” canceled an investigation of Mr. Savile, saying he was acting for journalistic reasons. The cancellation has raised questions — now under investigation by the BBC — about the role, if any, of senior executives in the cancellation.
One of them, Mark Thompson, who was the BBC’s director general at the time, is the incoming president and chief executive of The New York Times Company. He has repeatedly denied involvement in the decision to halt the “Newsnight” inquiry.One of them, Mark Thompson, who was the BBC’s director general at the time, is the incoming president and chief executive of The New York Times Company. He has repeatedly denied involvement in the decision to halt the “Newsnight” inquiry.