BBC staff knew of Savile sexual abuses: Inquiry

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) knew about the sexual abuse of up to 1,000 girls and boys by deceased presenter, Jimmy Savile.

The inquiry by former judge, Janet Smith, revealed that executives at the British public broadcaster turned a blind eye to the abuses which took place in the corporation’s changing rooms and studios.

A source close to the inquiry told the Observer that potentially up to 1,000 people had fallen victim to Savile during his tenure at the corporation.

“The report will go right to the heart of how Savile was able to get away with the most heinous of crimes under the very noses of BBC staff for more than 40 years,” the source added.

In January 2013, in a report by the police and the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), Savile was branded as one of the UK’s most prolific known sexual predators who had used his celebrity status to “hide in plain sight.”

According to the report, titled “Giving Victims a Voice,” some 214 crimes, including 34 counts of rape during 54 years of abuse committed by the former TV presenter, were recorded across 28 police force areas.

The publication of Smith’s review, expected next month, is likely to throw the publicly-funded BBC into fresh turmoil and raise questions over how Savile was able to carry out such attacks.