Investigation has revealed that Jimmy Savile, a prominent figure in the entertainment industry, committed s**ual abuse against hundreds of children and women during the peak of his fame.
Authorities believe that Savile preyed on approximately 500 vulnerable victims, some as young as two years old, at various institutions such as the BBC’s broadcasting studios, 14 hospitals, and 20 children’s hospitals across England.
Following his death in October 2011, multiple official inquiries were launched to investigate his offenses at hospitals, schools, and the BBC.
Today, an independent inquiry discovered that Savile had abused 60 people, including at least 33 patients ranging from five to 75 years old, at Leeds General Infirmary.
Other hospitals have also released findings from their investigations into Savile.
The timeline of Savile’s s**ual abuse is as follows:
– On October 31, 1926, Savile was born in Leeds, being the youngest of seven children.
– In 1955, the earliest recorded incident of abuse took place in Manchester, where Savile managed a dance hall.
– In 1960, a 10-year-old boy asked Savile for his autograph outside a hotel.
Savile took the boy inside and subjected him to serious s**ual assault.
– On January 1, 1964, Savile presented the inaugural episode of Top of the Pops for the BBC.
Before this, he worked as a DJ at Radio Luxembourg in 1958.
– Abuse records show that Savile began his offenses at the BBC, Leeds General Infirmary, where he volunteered as a porter, and Stoke Mandeville Hospital, where he also volunteered, in 1965.
– This marked the beginning of Savile’s peak period for abuse, which lasted for a decade starting in 1966.
– In 1970, Savile started abusing girls at Duncroft Girls’ School near Staines, Surrey, where he was a frequent visitor.
– In 1972, another instance of Savile’s offenses was recorded, where he groped a 12-year-old boy and his two female friends during a recording of Top of the Pops.
– During the 1980s, a female victim reported being assaulted by Savile in his campervan in a BBC car park.
However, the police file cannot be located, and the investigating officer has since passed away.
– In 1990, Savile was knighted and received a papal knighthood.
– In April 2000, Savile addressed the rumors about him being a pedophile in a TV documentary presented by Louis Theroux, denying them.
– On July 26, 2006, Savile co-presented the final episode of Top of the Pops, which gave rise to one of the allegations reported to the police.
– In March 2008, Savile initiated legal proceedings against a newspaper that linked him to abuse at the Jersey children’s home Haut de la Garenne.
– In 2009, Savile was interviewed by Surrey police under caution regarding an alleged indecent assault at Duncroft School.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) concluded that there was insufficient evidence to proceed with any further action.
This was the last offense recorded by the ongoing investigation.
– Another offense dating from this year involved a 43-year-old woman who was s**ually assaulted by Savile during a train journey between Leeds and London.
In 2011, the scandal surrounding Savile’s s**ual abuse came to light.
– On October 29, Jimmy Savile passed away.
– In early November, a Newsnight investigation into Savile began, with reporter Liz Mackean and researcher Hannah Livingston contacting former Duncroft pupils.
– On November 11, a BBC tribute program called Jimmy Savile: As It Happened was aired on BBC1.
– On December 1, the Newsnight editor Peter Rippon emailed reporter Meirion Jones instructing him to cease working on other aspects of the investigation due to its lack of strength without confirmation from the CPS.
Rippon also mentioned that he would pull the editing.
– Jones sent himself an email highlighting the concerns and potential consequences for the BBC if the story did not run.
– On December 5, Surrey police confirmed that they had investigated a historic allegation of indecent assault at a children’s home in Staines during the 1970s and referred it to the CPS.
– On December 9, the CPS informed Jones that they decided not to prosecute Savile due to a lack of evidence and not because of his age or infirmity.
Rippon and Jones subsequently met, with Jones accepting Rippon’s decision to halt further pursuit of the story.
In 2012, additional developments unfolded:
– On January 8, the Sunday Mirror reported that the Newsnight investigation had been discontinued and referenced a clash with the Fix It tribute show.
– On February 9, Miles Goslett reported in the Oldie magazine that the Newsnight investigation was terminated due to the tribute programs, and allegations of abuse on BBC premises were made.
The article claimed that the BBC possessed information that the police did not and that former BBC Director-General Mark Thompson was aware of the report.
Subsequent stories were published in the Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail.
– On September 7, the BBC received a letter from ITV notifying them of the upcoming Exposure documentary on the Savile s** abuse allegations and raising questions.
– On October 3, the ITV Exposure program on Savile was broadcasted.
– On October 8, BBC Director-General George Entwistle appeared on the Today program.
Mackean emailed Entwistle expressing her concerns about the handling of the Newsnight Savile story and pointing out inaccuracies in an all-staff email.
– Entwistle tasked Ken MacQuarrie, the BBC Scotland director, with investigating the circumstances surrounding the cancellation of the Newsnight investigation.
– On October 22, the Panorama special on the BBC and Savile was aired.
– On October 23, Entwistle appeared before the Commons Culture, Media, and Sport Select Committee.
– In October, the BBC commissioned Dame Janet Smith to investigate the culture and practices of the BBC during the decades Savile worked there.
– On November 10, George Entwistle resigned as Director-General of the BBC.
In 2013:
– On January 11, Scotland Yard officially labeled Savile as a “prolific, predatory” s** offender, revealing that he committed 214 criminal offenses across 28 police forces between 1955 and 2009.
The report, titled Giving Victims a Voice, disclosed that 73% of his victims were children, and the abuse occurred in 14 medical establishments.
In 2014:
– On June 2, NSPCC research conducted for BBC Panorama confirmed
