EXCLUSIVE: Savile inquiry police set to arrest more 'high profile' stars 'within weeks'

Martin Bentham

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/exclusive-savile-inquiry-police-set-to-arrest-more-high-profile-stars-within-weeks-8532470.html

A new wave of “very high-profile” arrests of celebrities is being planned by detectives investigating the Jimmy Savile scandal and other historic sex abuse cases, one of Britain’s top prosecutors has revealed.

New arrests: Police investigating the Jimmy Savile scandal are to arrest more stars

Nazir Afzal, a CPS chief crown prosecutor, said the arrests were “scheduled for the next few weeks” as he warned that a “growing” number of child abuse cases were being uncovered by police.

“This is a growing industry,” said Mr Afzal. “There are more arrests scheduled over the next few weeks. Some are very high-profile figures.” The detentions would be a new sign that the spate of arrests of ageing stars since the Savile scandal broke is set to continue.

Mr Afzal, who has specialised in prosecuting child grooming cases, said those due to be arrested were not directly linked to Savile but were among the “others” identified by police as having committed similar alleged offences.

He added: “They are people whose names have come forward because of the high profile of child abuse in recent months. There are people you will be interested in.”

Mr Afzal’s comments came as he took part in a seminar on tackling child abuse, organised in London by the Policy Exchange think tank.

They will heighten concern about the police failure to protect young girls from Savile and other predatory celebrities over decades of offending. They follow the publication this week of a critical report by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, which warned that officers had repeatedly failed to respond to evidence of Savile’s criminal activities over nearly 60 years.

Detective Chief Superintendent Keith Niven, the head of Scotland Yard’s child abuse command, told the Policy Exchange meeting, however, that more offenders would now be brought to justice and said cases being reported to the Met had “rocketed up the scale” since the Savile scandal broke.

He said this was “very good” and added: “There will be more charges of individuals who would not have been charged previously.”

A Scotland Yard report, published in the wake of last year’s revelations about Savile’s conduct, revealed that police have received about 450 allegations about the former BBC star’s predatory activities. It concluded that 214 were definite crimes, including 32 offences of rape.

Meanwhile, 11 more alleged offenders have been arrested or questioned under Operation Yewtree, set up by the Met to investigate crimes by Savile and his accomplices plus other historic sex abuse crimes.

Those arrested include PR consultant Max Clifford, comedian Freddie Starr, DJ Dave Lee Travis and former TV producer Wilfred De’Ath, who all deny any wrongdoing. Gary Glitter, 69, whose real name is Paul Gadd, has also been arrested.

In a further development today, Dave Lee Travis was re-arrested in connection with new allegations of sex abuse.

Savile died aged 84 in 2011, but the extent of his offending only became public after an ITV documentary last year. Subsequent reports prompted dozens of victims to come forward.