Savile abuse claims span decades

Oct 13 2012

Jimmy Savile's alleged catalogue of abuse could have spanned six decades and included around 60 victims, police said.

The scandal has mushroomed since ITV screened a documentary in which five women alleged they were abused by the late DJ and broadcaster and now Scotland Yard say there are allegations stretching between 1959 and 2006.

Commander Peter Spindler, head of Scotland Yard's specialist crime investigations said: "We can now confirm that we have received information from the public that suggest allegations against Jimmy Savile span six decades with reports starting in 1959 up to and including 2006."

He continued: "Having now had the opportunity to review progress one week on I have revised my estimate of the number of likely victims to be about 60.

"Once again I want to thank those who have come forward and reassure them, and anyone else who contacts us, they will be listened to."

Scotland Yard is pursuing 340 lines of inquiry in the Savile abuse case and so far 12 allegations of sexual offences have been officially recorded but this number is increasing, police said.

Metropolitan Police detectives are in contact with 14 other forces as the number of allegations against the former DJ continues to rise.