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Jimmy Savile: BBC, hospitals and star's estate face at least 50 damages claims Jimmy Savile: BBC, hospitals and star's estate face at least 50 damages claims
(about 1 hour later)
The BBC, four other public institutions and Jimmy Savile's estate are facing more than 50 potential damages claims from alleged victims of sex abuse by the late Jim'll Fix It presenter. The BBC, four other public institutions and Jimmy Savile's estate are facing more than 50 potential damages claims from alleged victims of sex abuse by the late TV and radio presenter.
The mounting number of potential legal claims shows there is no sign of the crisis abating. BBC director general George Entwistle is planning a second meeting on Monday with the National Association for People Abused in Childhood with the aim of forging a partnership with the charity, which is seeking funding to help it deal with up to 6,000 calls it has had since the Savile scandal broke. The mounting number of potential legal claims shows there is no sign of the crisis abating. The BBC director general, George Entwistle, is planning a second meeting on Monday with the National Association for People Abused in Childhood with the aim of forging a partnership with the charity, which is seeking funding after dealing with up to 6,000 calls since the Savile scandal broke.
Liz Dux, a partner at law firm Russell Jones & Walker in London and an expert in personal injury and child abuse cases, revealed that she is in contact with 30 alleged victims and the number has almost doubled in the last week. Liz Dux, a partner at law firm Russell Jones & Walker in London and an expert in personal injury and child abuse cases, said she was in contact with 30 alleged victims and the number had almost doubled in the past week.
Up to 20 other people have made contact with Alan Collins, the solicitor who represented victims the Jersey child abuse scandal.Up to 20 other people have made contact with Alan Collins, the solicitor who represented victims the Jersey child abuse scandal.
Another London-based law firm specialising in child abuse cases, AO Advocates, said it was in contact with five other alleged victims and was assessing whether to launch claims.Another London-based law firm specialising in child abuse cases, AO Advocates, said it was in contact with five other alleged victims and was assessing whether to launch claims.
Collins, of law firm Pannone, said the BBC and the Savile estate should consider opening a compensation fund to deal with the flood of claims.Collins, of law firm Pannone, said the BBC and the Savile estate should consider opening a compensation fund to deal with the flood of claims.
"You've got the makings of a group action already but how official that becomes depends on the attitude of the BBC and the estate," he told the Guardian. "You've got the makings of a group action already but how official that becomes depends on the attitude of the BBC and the estate," he said. "So far, all the abuse happened in the UK in a wide variety of circumstances. Savile was an opportunist, he was a risk-taker; it [the abuse] seems to have happened very quickly. He seems to have an eye for taking advantage of an opportunity."
"So far all the abuse happened in the UK in a wide variety of circumstances. Savile was an opportunist, he was a risk-taker, it [the abuse] seems to have happened very quickly. He seems to have an eye for taking advantage of an opportunity."
Collins has written legal letters before action on behalf of four complainants this week, and intends to write on behalf of another victim in the coming days.Collins has written legal letters before action on behalf of four complainants this week, and intends to write on behalf of another victim in the coming days.
Dux is acting on behalf of women who intend to sue the BBC, Stoke Mandeville hospital, Leeds general infirmary, the Duncroft approved school and a fifth previously unnamed institution where Savile is alleged to have assaulted at least one woman.Dux is acting on behalf of women who intend to sue the BBC, Stoke Mandeville hospital, Leeds general infirmary, the Duncroft approved school and a fifth previously unnamed institution where Savile is alleged to have assaulted at least one woman.
No claims have yet been filed at the high court. Dux said she would be making an announcement on the progress of the claims in the coming days.No claims have yet been filed at the high court. Dux said she would be making an announcement on the progress of the claims in the coming days.
She added that damages payments in such cases could range from a few thousand pounds for those who suffered a minor assault and got on with their lives to hundreds of thousands if their lives were judged to have been wrecked, for example if they had been unable to have a career or form relationships. She said damages payments in such cases could range from a few thousand pounds for those who suffered a minor assault and were able to get on with their lives to hundreds of thousands if their lives were judged to have been wrecked – if they had been unable to have a career or form relationships, for example.
The cases are being prepared on the grounds of "vicarious liability" against the BBC and other public institutions hospitals, their staff and agents. Savile was not an employee of the any of the hospitals but was invited onto their premises and in some cases given a room or access to staff quarters, making them legally liable for his behaviour. The cases are being prepared on the grounds of "vicarious liability" against the BBC and other public institutions, hospitals, their staff and agents. Savile was not an employee of the any of the hospitals but was invited on to their premises and, in some cases, given a room or access to staff quarters, making them legally liable for his behaviour.
With the police pursuing 400 lines of inquiry, the threat of legal action is expected to spread to other institutions where Savile made official charity visits. With the police now pursuing 400 lines of inquiry, the threat of legal action is expected to spread to other institutions where Savile made official charity visits.
The Department of Health could also be sued directly over claims the star abused patients when he was a volunteer at Broadmoor high security psychiatric hospital in the 1970s and 1980s. The Department of Health could be sued directly over claims the star abused patients when he was a volunteer at Broadmoor high security psychiatric hospital in the 1970s and 1980s.
The mounting claims prompted NatWest, which is acting as executor and trustee of Savile's £4.3m estate, to freeze his account and the distribution of his assets according to his will, given the threatened claims for compensation. The mounting claims prompted NatWest, which is acting as executor and trustee of Savile's £4.3m estate, to freeze his account and the distribution of his assets according to his will, given the threatened claims for compensation.Savile's will was written in 2006 and bequeaths his savings and other assets to 28 separate beneficiaries, according to the Financial Times. A group of 20 friends, family and neighbours were to share £20,000 in cash, while £600,000 was to be put into a trust fund, the interest of which would be divided between eight beneficiaries.
Savile's will was written in 2006 and bequeaths his savings and other assets to 28 separate beneficiaries, according to the Financial Times. A group of 20 friends, family and neighbours were to share £20,000 in cash, while £600,000 was to be put into a trust fund, the interest of which would be divided between eight beneficiaries.
His gold rings were left to a nephew, the paper said, while a niece was due to receive a photo of him with the Beatles. The remaining £3.7m was to be held by NatWest on behalf of the Jimmy Savile Charitable Trust.His gold rings were left to a nephew, the paper said, while a niece was due to receive a photo of him with the Beatles. The remaining £3.7m was to be held by NatWest on behalf of the Jimmy Savile Charitable Trust.
The trust currently has funds of £3.7m and announced two weeks ago it was going to close and distribute its funds to other charities but it expected to receive the money from the estate soon.The trust currently has funds of £3.7m and announced two weeks ago it was going to close and distribute its funds to other charities but it expected to receive the money from the estate soon.
A trust spokeswoman told the Guardian that it feared the funds it was due to receive would be diminished whether the claims succeeded or not because of legal fees.
"We now don't know how long it will take before those funds are transferred to us. Obviously any claim against the estate potentially reduces the amount going to the charity, and that in turn reduces the amount going to charitable/good causes. Even if the claims don't succeed, the legal costs of defending the claims will come from the funds due to the charity," she said.
She added: "The trustees will need to consider whether they distribute the funds they have already, or wait until the estate funds have also been transferred over. Unfortunately it is very difficult to know at the current time how long it will take before the estate can be 'unfrozen' and distributed. We will be liaising with NatWest, the executors, to see how best to proceed."
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