UK police: Jimmy Savile is suspect in 199 crimes

The Associated Press, Wednesday, December 12, 2012, 9:23am (PST)

LONDON (AP) — The late BBC entertainer Jimmy Savile is a suspect in 199 crimes recorded so far, including dozens of cases of rape, British police said Wednesday. They described the level of sexual abuse reporting against Savile as "unprecedented in the U.K."

Allegations against Savile, who died last year at age 84, grew after five women said they were sexually abused by the presenter in a television program broadcast in October. The claims triggered a scandal that that rocked the BBC, which has been accused of failing to report allegations against Savile while making shows praising him.

Police are putting together a report on Savile's activities based on the alleged victims' evidence. The report is expected to be published early next year.

In an update on its inquiry, Scotland Yard said 450 people have come forward with information relating to the disgraced children's television presenter. Most of those people were women who alleged sexual abuse when they were young, police said. There were 31 rape allegations recorded against Savile, they said.

A broader police investigation into sex abuse spurred by the claims against Savile has so far detained seven suspects for questioning. They included former pop star Gary Glitter, 68, whose real name is Paul Gadd, and well-known publicist Max Clifford.

No criminal charges have been filed.