10/05/2013

'No Evidence' Police Protected Jimmy Savile

A report by West Yorkshire Police has said there is "no evidence" that television presenter Jimmy Savile was "protested from arrest".

However, the review did reveal an "over-reliance on personal friendships" between Savile and some officers.

The report, which was released today, revealed the 84-year-old has been accused of 76 crimes in the West Yorkshire area. 68 victims are believed to be involved, the youngest was just five years old.

Most of the offences were committed in the 1960s and 1970s and include rape, sexual activity with a child under the age of 13 and indecent exposure.

The report said: "The review team are satisfied that the work undertaken by Savile in support of local and force campaigns and events was entirely appropriate at the time.

"The review team have concerns regarding the absence of a process to secure Savile's services for some of these events and also the over-reliance on personal friendships that developed between Savile and some officers over a number of years to secure that support.

"Of greater concern is that even after the force received the request from Surrey Police in 2007 to check what records WYP held that related to Savile in relation to their investigation at Duncroft School, WYP continued to use him as part of local crime prevention campaigns.

"There is no evidence that he was protected from arrest or prosecution for any offences as a result of his relationship with WYP, or individual friendships with officers."

The review, named Operation Newgreen, follows a report by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) highlighted failings by forces across Britain.

The police said the latest findings will now be passed to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Following the death of Savile in October 2011, a joint Metropolitan Police and NSPCC report published in January found he had committed sexual offences against children on an unprecedented scale.

Some 200 criminal offences have been formally recorded across 28 police forces between 1955 and 2010.

(JP/CD)

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