Freddie Starr Questioned By Police Again

Freddie Starr has returned to a police station to answer further questions about alleged sexual offences.

The Metropolitan Police said a man in his 60s from Warwickshire, arrested on Thursday on suspicion of sexual offences in connection with the Jimmy Savile investigation, was being interviewed again today.

Starr, 69, strongly denies any wrongdoing. Last month he branded the Jim'll Fix It presenter "despicable" and "disgusting", and urged police to interview him so he could clear his name.

He appeared with Savile on an episode of BBC show Clunk Click in 1974 alongside Karin Ward, who has since accused him of molesting her.

Ms Ward, who was 14 at the time, was the main interviewee in the ITV documentary which exposed the Savile sex abuse scandal.

Starr denied touching her inappropriately and said he had not appeared on the show.

His lawyer later issued a statement claiming he had been mistaken and that he was in fact on the show.

Publicist Max Clifford, who represented Starr in the 1980s, told Sky News he had received calls from several celebrities who appeared on TV shows with Savile who were concerned they could be embroiled in the inquiry.

He said: "In the 1960s and 1970s just about every major pop star appeared on Top Of The Pops, many of them met Jimmy Savile even if it was just to say hello to.

"Many times Jimmy would come up to different stars often with young girls saying 'will you have a picture taken'.

"Now they're asking 'am I suddenly going to be named because there's a picture of me with Jimmy Savile'.

"The problem is if you're a star, just by having your name mentioned in connection with Jimmy Savile or Gary Glitter, you could be damaged."

Starr's arrest followed that of Gary Glitter, who was questioned at a central London police station on Sunday after being detained at his home in the capital.

The former pop star was later released on bail.

Scotland Yard is leading a national investigation into Savile, who died last year at the age of 84.

He is now believed to have been one of the UK's most prolific abusers, with about 300 possible victims.

The BBC has launched an inquiry into the culture and practices at the corporation in the era of Savile's alleged sexual abuse.

It is also looking at the decision-making process which saw a Newsnight investigation into Savile's activities shelved.

The review, led by Nick Pollard, former head of Sky News, will report back on its findings later this month, it was announced earlier.

On Thursday NatWest Bank, which is acting as Savile's executor and trustee, revealed his £4.3m estate had been frozen in anticipation of legal action by his alleged victims.