Savile: Police Speak To 40 Potential Victims

Police investigating sexual abuse allegations against Jimmy Savile are now pursuing 340 lines of enquiry and are talking to 40 potential victims.

The Metropolitan Police Service, which is investigating the claims, said it had officially recorded 12 allegations of sexual offences against the TV presenter, but expected that number to increase.

It said: "Officers from the Serious Case team of the MPS Child Abuse Investigation Command will continue to contact those who have come forward to ensure that they are given the advice and support they need.

"We would once again praise the courage of, and thank, everyone who has come forward to provide us with information to assist in understanding the scale of abuse perpetrated by Savile."

Met detectives are in contact with 14 other forces as the number of allegations against the late Top Of The Pops host continues to rise.

BBC director general George Entwistle announced in a news conference the corporation would launch a "forensic and soul-searching" independent review into the culture and practices at the BBC in the wake of the allegations.

He said a second review would also be carried out into the decision by Newsnight editors not to broadcast an expose on Savile.

He said: "I would like to offer a profound and heart-felt apology on behalf of the BBC to every victim. The BBC will not avoid confronting the events of its past.

"Jimmy Savile's victims have faced years of pain. We owe it to them and our audiences to investigate how this could have happened."

Earlier TV actress Julie Fernandez revealed she had been groped by Savile when she appeared on one of his TV shows at the age of 14.

The disabled star, who appeared in sitcom The Office, said his hands lingered on her when she took part in an edition of Jim'll Fix It along with other children from her boarding school.

She had been positioned next to Savile in the studio after writing to the show on behalf of her friends at Treloar School in Hampshire.

"He just had very gropey hands. He was far too familiar. It was very subtly done," the 38-year-old told Sky News.

"We were in a studio full of people. His hand was on my thigh for two, three, four seconds too long. On my back, on my shoulder, just far too familiar."

Fernandez, who also appeared in BBC1's Eldorado and is a disability rights campaigner, said: "I've come forward because lots of other people are as well. I want to say that it's true, it is what it is.

"What worries me is that there's going to be people out there saying 'oh these girls are just jumping on the bandwagon for a bit of publicity' and that really is not the case. He really was a sexual predator."

Greater Manchester Police, Lancashire, North Yorkshire and Tayside are the latest forces to receive allegations against Savile.

Savile, who raised millions of pounds by running marathons and half-marathons, has now been removed from the Great North Run's hall of fame.

David Hart, communications director at race organiser Nova International, said: "We took the measure out of respect of public opinion surrounding Mr Savile.

"We are waiting for the conclusion of the police investigation before taking any further action. One option in the future could be to have his hall of fame award rescinded entirely."

A spokesman for Savile's charitable trust said it had received a "very large number" of requests for funding, including from charities working with sex abuse victims.

It said the fund could only be used for charitable purposes, and not for any compensation payments.

:: Anyone with information or concerns should call the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000.