MPR Solicitors instructed in Operation Yewtree and Operation Outreach, Jimmy Savile child abuse allegation

MPR Solicitors were instructed to act for a suspect interviewed under caution in relation to the historic allegations of child abuse relating to Jimmy Savile, DJ and BBC presenter of the Jim’ll Fix It show.

Operation Outreach relates to a review of matters relating to Duncroft School in Surrey. In 2009, Savile was interviewed under caution by Surrey Police investigating an allegation of indecent assault at Duncroft Approved School for Girls near Staines, Surrey, in the 1970s where he had been a regular visitor. The CPS advised that there was insufficient evidence to take any further action and no charges were brought.  

Operation Yewtree is being led by the MPS Child Abuse Investigation Command. There is currently a team of 30 detectives involved in the three strands of the investigation. These are defined as ‘Savile’, ‘Savile plus others’ and ‘others’. This report is concerned only with allegations relating to Jimmy Savile.

The first strand is offences believed to have been committed by Jimmy Savile on his own; the second is where victims have said there were other people around Savile who they believe were involved in offending; the third strand involves accounts from people who have come forward as a result of the publicity about Jimmy Savile but who have said they were sexually assaulted by people unconnected to him.

The volume of the allegations that have been made, most of them dating back many years, has made this an unusual and complex inquiry. On the whole victims are not known to each-other and taken together their accounts paint a compelling picture of widespread sexual abuse by a predatory sex offender. We are therefore referring to them as ‘victims’ rather than ‘complainants’ and are not presenting the evidence they have provided as unproven allegations.

Most but not all victims have been interviewed and to date 214 criminal offences have been formally recorded across 28 force areas in which Savile is a suspect.

More details can be found in the joint report into sexual allegations against Jimmy Savile entitled: “Giving Victims a Voice” by Detective Superintendent David Gray and the NSPCC’s Peter Watt.

At MPR Solicitors, we understand that these types of cases can be very sensitive and highly distressing for the individual under suspicion and their families: our specialist solicitors and support staff are trained to be sympathetic, understanding and non-judgemental.

In this particular case, we were able to negotiate with the police that the suspect be interviewed at their home address under caution rather than being taken under arrest to a police station. Whilst this is highly unusual, the circumstances of the case were such that unusual steps were taken.

If you or someone you know are facing serious sexual allegations including rape; sexual assault; grooming offences; illegal pornography and indecent images then please call us in order to speak to one of our expert sexual offences solicitors