Jimmy Savile Inquiry To Be Led By Met Police

Scotland Yard is to "work closely" with the BBC as it takes the lead role in assessing allegations against late TV presenter Sir Jimmy Savile.

A growing number of victims have come forward to allege that he sexually assaulted them after five women took part in a documentary claiming that they had been abused .

In the film, screened on Wednesday night, the alleged victims accused the Jim'll Fix It presenter of sexually assaulting them when they were schoolgirls in the late 1960s and 1970s - some while on BBC premises.

MP Anne Main has written to Lord Justice Leveson asking him to investigate how the BBC handled the allegations as part of his inquiry into press standards.

It has emerged this week that Surrey, Sussex and Jersey Police received complaints about Savile in the past but concluded there was not enough evidence to pursue them.

Scotland Yard is currently considering a number of allegations, including an historic rape claim referred to them by Surrey Police, and Northamptonshire has been contacted by two alleged victims.

The Metropolitan Police said the assessment of claims will be led by Detective Superintendent David Gray from the force's Child Abuse Investigation Command, and that a formal investigation had not yet been launched.

The force issued a statement which said: "Our priority will be to ensure a proportionate and consistent policing response putting the victims at the heart of our inquiries. It is too early to say how many individual allegations there are, and we will be making contact with all those concerned in due course.

"We will be working closely with the BBC investigations unit. Anyone else with information is urged to make contact with their local police so that any further information can then be passed to us."

Scotland Yard was appointed to lead the assessment after the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) looked at the claims.

Police across the country have issued advice to anyone who thinks they might be a victim to get in touch with their local force or children's charity the NSPCC for support.

The documentary featured historic accounts, which detailed how the presenter allegedly targeted girls in his BBC dressing room and private Rolls-Royce.