As BBC confirms Savile investigation, victims prepare to take legal action against the corporation
At a last minute news conference held yesterday, 11 October, the BBC's director general announced two "forensic and soul searching" independent inquiries relating to allegations of child abuse by Jimmy Savile would be launched.
The first BBC inquiry will examine the claims of abuse by Savile over his forty year career, covering what Entwistle described as the "culture and practices" of the BBC in the "years Jimmy Savile worked here and afterwards".
The second will investigate whether any BBC executives – including Entwistle – improperly interfered with an axed Newsnight investigation into Savile, but will not review the editorial decision by Newsnight editor Peter Rippon to drop the film.
Entwistle went on to offer a "profound and heartfelt apology" to victims.
This came as reports surfaced that women allegedly abused by Jimmy Savile at the BBC are preparing to launch legal actions against the corporation.
It has been reported that personal injury lawyer Liz Dux has taken on the cases, as well as those of women who were abused by Savile at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, as they seek compensation for psychological damages.
Speaking to the BBC Radio 4 Dux said: "The case would be against the BBC or the hospital because they would be held vicariously liable in law on behalf of someone like Savile who was acting as their agent."
She went on to say the compensation could range from a few thousand pounds for someone who suffered a minor assault and got on with their lives to hundreds of thousands if their lives had been wrecked, for instance if they had been unable to have a career or form relationships.
However she added that: "To win the case against the BBC you do not have to show they knew about it."