Jimmy Savile report: 'Culture of fear among BBC staff led to decades of DJ's vile abuse'

Director-general Lord Hall has apologised to Savile’s victims

A predatory paedophile may still be lurking within the BBC despite the Jimmy Savile scandal, its boss admitted today.

Director-general Lord Hall apologised to Savile’s victims and admitted the BBC “could” have known about his abuse.

A three-year inquiry by retired judge Dame Janet Smith into Savile’s sexual assaults at the BBC concluded it had not “corporately” known about his offending as heads of department were not aware.

Scotland Yard detectives from Operation Yewtree were today understood to be examining the report before considering any further action.

Lord Hall accepted the Corporation’s reputation had been put ahead of the protection of young girls and boys attending shows like Top of the Pops.

“We must take note of Dame Janet’s final words. She says that ‘no organisation can be completely confident that it does not harbour a child abuser’,” he added.

BBC Director General Lord Hall addressing a press conference today

“Child sex abusers can be highly intelligent, articulate and charismatic but manipulative people. That’s why the biggest lesson for me is that we all have to be eternally vigilant.”

The £6.5 million report was published as the BBC was rocked by a fresh storm with the “sacking” of veteran DJ Tony Blackburn. It found that he had been interviewed about a claim, which he strongly denies, that he seduced a 15-year-old girl after a recording of Top of the Pops.

Radio 2 DJ Mr Blackburn, 73, denies being questioned by Corporation bosses over the allegation which dates back to 1971. He left his £1.5 million Barnet home this morning at 7.45am in a silver Mitsubishi estate car.

Brandishing a piece of paper the broadcaster said: “Here is my statement. I am not saying anything else. It’s all there.”

The statement includes the words: “I was not guilty of any inappropriate conduct. Naturally I am left with no choice but to take legal action against the BBC. They have taken away a career I love and I will not allow them to destroy my reputation.”

Blackburn also posted on Twitter: “Good morning, I just want to say thanks so much for your overwhelming support it means a lot to me. xxx.”

Claire McAlpine, 15, committed suicide after the allegation about which her mother Vera had made a complaint to the BBC.

Dame Janet did not make any judgment over the truth of the allegations. But she concluded that Mr Blackburn had been interviewed by at least one BBC boss about the allegation and that he denied it.

In the report, the DJ, who is referred to as A7, said he was “mystified” by the contradictory accounts.

Dame Janet added: “Later, through his solicitor, A7 accepted that I might well prefer the documentary evidence to his recollection on these issues.

“I do prefer that evidence and think that A7 was interviewed and denied the allegation.”

The inquiry also severely criticised the BBC’s internal investigation into the claim for seeking to protect the Corporation and “fob off” the alleged victim’s mother.

Mr Blackburn is claiming the BBC had made him a “scapegoat” for an alleged “cover-up”.

He added: “Dame Janet’s report makes no suggestion that I was guilty 45 years ago of any misconduct whatsoever with this girl. Nor did a coroner’s inquest or a subsequent police inquiry into her death.

“The BBC have made clear they are not terminating my relationship with them because of any misconduct.

“They are destroying my career and reputation because my version of events does not tally with theirs.”

The main focus of the inquiry, though, was on Savile’s abuse and behaviour, as well as broadcaster Stuart Hall.

Savile “would gratify himself sexually on BBC premises whenever the opportunity arose” and Corporation staff missed numerous opportunities to stop him, Dame Janet found.

Her review stressed there was a culture of “reverence and fear” towards celebrities at the Corporation and that “an atmosphere of fear still exists today in the BBC”.

Dame Janet said girls who dared complain about being sexually assaulted were regarded as “a nuisance” and their claims not properly dealt with.

Lord Hall told victims that he was “deeply sorry” for their traumatic ordeals and pledged a series of measures to prevent sexual abuse at the Corporation.

He added that it seemed to him that “the BBC could have known” about Savile’s decades of abuse, with more than 100 witnesses saying that they had heard stories about his conduct.

“There was too much stress on protecting the reputation of the Corporation,” stressed Lord Hall.

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