Draft
report produced during official review of DJ's time at BBC criticises
corporation for having managers who were 'above the law'
Dame
Janet Smith is reviewing the BBC's practices at the time of the Jimmy Savile
scandal Photo: Rex/Ross Parry
By Lucy
Clarke-Billings
10:09AM
GMT 21 Jan 2016
The
BBC is condemned for having a "deferential culture" and
"untouchable stars" in a leaked draft of a report into sexual abuse
by broadcaster Jimmy Savile.
The
draft report, produced during an official review of Savile's time at the BBC by
retired judge Dame Janet Smith, criticizes
the corporation for having managers who were "above
the law".
It
also warns that it was possible another "predatory child abuser could be
lurking undiscovered in the BBC even today".
"I know of at least two young girls [both underage] who
were invited back to Savile’s dressing room, where he abused them
sexually,"
Witness
Incidents
occurred at "virtually every one of the BBC premises" in which Savile
worked, the report said, and more than 100 employees at the corporation told
the review they had heard about Savile's sexual conduct.
While
staff said they were aware of his behavior, they were scared to report it to
managers, the draft report, published by news website Exaro states.
But
Dame Janet accepted denials from senior bosses that they were aware of his
sexual activity, according to the leaked document.
And
she does not criticize the BBC for not uncovering the abuse, according to the
report.
Jimmy Savile was revealed
as a child abuser after his death Photo: REX FEATURES
Liz
Dux, a specialist abuse lawyer at Slater and Gordon, which represents 168
alleged Savile victims - many of whom where assaulted at the BBC - said:
"It is deeply disturbing that this inquiry appears to have concluded the
same culture which allowed Savile to commit his appalling offences with
impunity still persists today.
"That
little has been done at the BBC to prevent another predatory abuser using their
celebrity and influence to target the young and vulnerable is of grave concern.
"I
find it incredible that 107 people gave evidence to having heard rumours of his
depravity and inappropriate sexual behaviour yet no one in a position of
authority seemed to be aware.
"A predatory child abuser could be lurking undiscovered
in the BBC even today,"
Smith
Review
"Now,
more than ever before, mandatory reporting legislation needs to be brought in
to make it a crime to turn a blind eye to this sort of offending.
"It
also has to be said that Savile's victims who gave evidence to this inquiry
will find it upsetting that a report of this nature and sensitivity has been
leaked in this way."
A
statement on the Dame Janet's review website expressed disappointment at the
leak of the draft but said it was out of date.
According
to Exaro, Dame Janet says in the report: "My general impression is that
most staff (other than those who had been in the higher echelons) felt that the
management culture was too deferential and and that some executives were 'above
the law'."
The
BBC's "talent" was held in "awe" by most staff, who treated
them "deferentially", she said, adding: "It would be a brave
person indeed who would make a complaint against such a person."
The
draft report also outlined the extent of Savile's sexual activities, which it
said "took place in virtually every one of the BBC premises at which he
worked."
The
locations included the BBC Television Theatre, while on set for Jim'll Fix It,
Television Centre in connection with Top of the Pops, and Broadcasting House,
where he worked for Radio 1.
Incidents
also took place at the Lime Grove studios in London and BBC properties in
Leeds, Manchester and Glasgow.
Dame
Janet states: "He would indulge in sexual touching while working on the
set (of Top Of The Pops or Jim'll Fix It) and on at least one occasion, he was
actually on camera.
"Savile
would seize the opportunity for sexual contact even in public places such as
corridors, staircases and canteens."
Commenting
on the leak, a statement on the Dame Janet Smith Review website said: "The
Review is disappointed by the decision of Exaro to publish, in breach of
confidence, extracts from a leaked copy of an early draft of its Report.
"That
document is out of date and significant changes have been made to its contents
and conclusions. The document should not have been made public and cannot be
relied upon in any circumstances.
"The
Review will work with the BBC to arrange publication of its final Report as
quickly as possible to ensure that accurate and responsible reporting can take
place."
The
leaked draft was published a day after the review announced that the
long-delayed final report would be published within six weeks.
It
said this was because "the Review has been informed by the Metropolitan
Police that it is no longer concerned that publication of the Report could
prejudice its ongoing investigations".
It
said final checks were being carried out ahead of delivery to the BBC and publication.
Drafts
of the report will have been seen by numerous parties involved in the review.
The
draft report leaked by Exaro contains more than 37,500 words on 500 pages and
was completed a little over a year ago.
Savile
indecently assaulted an underage girl on the set of Top of the Pops in 1969, the report
says. The girl told a member of floor staff, who ejected her from
the building.
Savile
also assaulted a 17-year-old girl on camera on Top of the Pops in 1976. She too
complained to floor staff but, “her complaint was brushed aside with the
explanation that that was ‘just Jimmy fooling about’,” writes Smith.
A
floor manager between 1971 and 1972 heard rumors that Savile liked young girls
of about 15 or 16.
IN QUOTES
Jimmy Savile's denials
Photo: Alex Maguire / Rex Features
- On rumours he abused children:
- “Whatever is said after I’m gone is irrelevant. If I’m gone that’s that,” he said. “B------- to my legacy”.
- On tabloid rumours of paedophilia:
- “Nobody knows whether I am or not. I know I'm not, so I can tell you from experience that the easy way of doing it when they're saying ‘Oh, you have all them children on Jim'll Fix It’, say ‘Yeah, I hate 'em.'"
- On why he said he hated children:
- "We live in a very funny world and it's easier for me, as a single man, to say ‘I don't like children’ because that puts a lot of salacious tabloid people off the hunt.”
- On being asked if he was “into little girls”:
- “I’d rather not even opinionate on this. I’ll leave it to the psychologists to sort out the psychology of child abuse.”
Savile
would arrange for particular girls to be on the podium next to him during
filming on Top of the Pops and a TOTP producer said in the late 1970s “Savile
always used to choose the girls and boys he wanted close to him…instead of
letting the director or floor manager choose them.”
The
inquiry, led by former Court of Appeal judge Smith, supported by Dame Linda
Dobbs, has been delayed numerous times due to conflicting criminal proceedings
since it opened in 2012.
However
final checks were recently announced to have been underway, ahead of the
report’s delivery to the BBC and publication early in March.
The
review encompasses evidence from 775 people, including interviews with 375
witnesses in the Savile investigation and more than 100 relating to Stuart Hall.
Tony
Hall, the director-general of the BBC, said: "Firstly, my thoughts and all
our thoughts are with the victims of Jimmy Savile and their families. What
happened was a dark chapter in the history of the BBC.
“Dame
Janet Smith’s report will be invaluable in helping us understand what happened
and to help ensure that we do everything possible to avoid it happening again.
“The
Review has said that the copy leaked to the media is an early draft which has
changed considerably, so while I am impatient to learn those lessons the
responsible thing must be to act on the final report which we have not
received.
“The
Review expects the report to be published within six weeks and we hope it will
be published as swiftly as possible."
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