Savile memorial defaced as more women come forward

Anger over Jimmy Savile’s alleged sex abuse, as more women make claims they were victims over many years, has led to a memorial being attacked and fears of further reprisals.

A historic rape allegation made against the late Top Of The Pops host has been referred to Scotland Yard by police in Surrey, and there have been revelations that other allegations against Savile were dropped because of a lack of evidence.

The BBC said it will assist police with investigations into child abuse claims involving the late DJ and TV host, with the testimonies of a number of alleged victims due to be screened tonight in a documentary.

A circular gold plaque in Scarborough, where the presenter had a home, was subject to a graffiti attack with the words “rapist” and “paedophile” written on it.

Authorities in the North Yorkshire town say they are reviewing security at the cemetery where his headstone was placed following his death last year. A statue of the star has also been taken down in Glasgow.

Several police forces confirmed they have received complaints of assaults by the Jim’ll Fix It host over the years.

Jersey and Surrey police said they had both investigated accusations made against Savile about alleged abuse in two children’s homes, but decided there was not enough evidence to proceed.

Police in Sussex confirmed that in 2008 a woman reported she had been indecently assaulted by Savile in Worthing in 1970. However, the woman said she did not wish to co-operate with any inquiry.

In a new interview with ITV News, one woman claimed Savile would ply her fellow pupils from Duncroft Approved School in Surrey with gifts and would have sex with girls as young as 14.

Karin Ward, who has waived her anonymity, said: “Everybody knew he was a perv and everybody knew he would be groping and wanting sex and wanting other worse things than just plain sex but he brought lots of nice things with him.”

On one occasion when she visited his dressing room for the recording of a TV show, she said: “Jimmy Savile had a girl on his lap and he had his hand up her skirt and inside her underwear. She came from Duncroft and she was 14 and we were good friends.”

Yesterday the BBC said it would be working with police over allegations about the presenter’s sex abuse, following claims that some activities went on at BBC premises and suggestions that some colleagues were aware of his behaviour.

Coleen Nolan revealed that Savile suggested she join him at a hotel following a TV recording when she was just 14.

She had been in the Top of the Pops studio with her chart star sisters The Nolans who were appearing on the show. “At the time I was 14 and it was just an uncomfortable situation,” she said.

“The girls were doing Top of the Pops and I stood with him while he made the announcement and it was an uncomfortable situation, the way he held me and then he mentioned about going to a hotel. But you didn’t talk about those things then.”