LONDON: British police investigating alleged abuse by BBC presenter Jimmy Savile launched a criminal inquiry on Friday, saying more than 200 potential victims had come forward since accusations he had preyed on children for decades.
Allegations that flamboyant Savile, who died last year, operated unhindered as an abuser for years have rocked the publicly-funded broadcaster and have opened the floodgates to accusations against other celebrities.
Cigar-chomping Savile, knighted as a “Sir” by The Queen, was one of the BBC’s biggest names, and questions have been raised about whether the broadcaster turned a blind eye to his activities.
Rival channel ITV shattered Savile’s reputation as a dedicated charity fundraiser when it broadcast interviews with women who said he abused them when they were as young as 12, sometimes on BBC premises. London’s Metropolitan Police, had previously said they would conduct only a review. REUTERS
