MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

BBC presenter sexual abuse scandal widens, with 300 possible victims

Operation Yewtree is looking at 400 lines of inquiry to track Jimmy Savile abuses mainly to girls

The number of possible sexual abuse victims of BBC TV presenter and DJ Jimmy Savile has risen to 300, Scotland Yard has confirmed. Savile who died last year aged 84, may have abused scores of young girls and some boys over a 40-year period.

Police have so far spoken to 130 victims and officers have recorded 114 allegations. Savile's great-niece Caroline Robinson has accused him of sexually abusing her when she was 12.

Met Police Commander Peter Spindler described the police inquiry as a “watershed” moment in the investigation of child abuse. He praised the media for exposing Savile “for what he was.”

Savile was “undoubtedly” one of the most prolific sex offenders of recent history, and the weight of evidence from victims against the late DJ was overwhelming.

“We have to believe what they are saying because they are all saying the same thing independently,” Spindler said.

Labour leader Ed Miliband has reiterated calls for an independent inquiry into the affair. However, Andrew Lansley, the Leader of the Commons, has said he cannot see “any merit” in such an inquiry. He wants the police investigation and independent reviews by the BBC and NHS to be allowed to run their course.

The police inquiry, Operation Yewtree, has identified 300 victims - up from 200 last week - and is looking at 400 lines of inquiry. All but two of the victims are female.

Police said they had spent nine hours interviewing Karin Ward, one of the first victims to speak publicly. Ms Ward, who was a pupil at Duncroft approved school for girls in Surrey, alleged that she was sexually abused by Savile during her time there.

She was interviewed for the BBC's Newsnight programme on 14 November last year, but the interview was only shown for the first time on Panorama this week as the Newsnight investigation was shelved.

Police were looking at three areas of crime: Savile committing abuse on his own; Savile with others; and other people committing abuse.

A number of living people were under investigation, but Spindler did not give exact figures. He said police were preparing an arrest strategy, but no-one has been arrested yet.

Mr Spindler said a retired officer had been in touch to say he had investigated Savile in the 1980s while based in west London but he had not had the evidence to proceed. He said he believed the allegation was of an indecent assault on BBC premises but officers have still not found the original file.

BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said earlier that more victims had come forward since last week, some of them having lived abroad.

Sources close to Scotland Yard's investigation said they were also looking at “figures of high standing” that might have helped Savile. Investigations are looking at those who may have assisted Savile, helped organise abuse, cover it up or taken part in assaults themselves.

Savile was a household name in the 1970s and 1980s as the host of popular Saturday evening programme Jim'll Fix It and he also presented Top of The Pops and a number of other programs.