Lawyer representing victims of Jimmy Savile says new evidence will show more NHS staff than previously thought turned a blind eye to his sex attacks
- Lawyer says offences were just as bad as those on BBC premises
- Liz Dux claimed many NHS staff knew of his crimes, but did nothing
- She said one victim was assaulted on a trolley going to an x-ray
NHS bosses should brace themselves for a new storm of criticism when 'damning' evidence about Jimmy Savile's hospital sex attacks is revealed, lawyers said today.
Liz Dux, one of the lawyers representing his victims, said Savile's offences on NHS property were just as bad as those committed on the BBC premises and in some cases much worse.
Dux, of Slater & Gordon, added that more people in the NHS than previously thought knew about what was happening and took no action.
Inquiry: Jimmy Savile at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Buckinghamshire, where he carried out a series of sex attacks
She said one victim had been assaulted while lying on a hospital trolley going to have an x-ray, and another was passing in a wheelchair when she was attacked.
Dux told The Sunday Times: 'The evidence against the NHS is as bad [as the BBC] if not worse. I think the degree of knowledge was greater - clearly there was knowledge at the BBC but it was less concentrated. Here we have people seeing him [commit offences] and having direct knowledge.
'The NHS abuses are horrific. There were quite a few rapes on NHS premises. The evidence from the two main hospitals is absolutely damning.'
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There are three separate inquiries under way into Savile's crimes, focusing on Stoke Mandeville, Leeds General and Broadmoor hospitals.
It is not just the nature of the offences that has shocked lawyers but also the response - or lack of it - by the staff. One of the victims Dux is representing was a young girl at the time of Savile's attack.
'She was raped and then told a nurse about the attack. The nurse said: "I mustn't say anything or I'll get into trouble",' Dux said.
New evidence: Disgraced DJ Jimmy Savile presenting Top of the Pops in 1976
Leeds General Hospital is one of three hospitals where inquiries are under way into Jimmy Savile's crimes
'There are stories of Savile being on top of people in the wards and nurses just saying "Oh, get out Jimmy, you shouldn't be in here".'
In an incident at Leeds General, where Savile worked as a volunteer porter, one victim was attacked in the porter's office. When the attack was over, the door was opened from outside by someone other than Savile, as if that person knew what had been happening.
Dux said her clients at Leeds appeared to believe that there were other people assisting him and complicit in his crimes.
Liz Dux, one of the lawyers representing his victims, said Savile's offences on NHS property were just as bad as those committed on the BBC premises. Pictured is Broadcasting House in London
In another incident at Leeds Dux said a girl was ignored when she complained to staff that a porter had hurt her and pointed to her groin.
Dux is backing a new system of 'mandatory reporting' to force staff to report any such incidents.
Such is the level of concern about the fallout from the inquiries into Savile's activities in the NHS that GPs have been warned that victims and witnesses distressed by giving evidence may turn up in their surgeries.
The Stoke Mandeville inquiry is due to finish taking evidence soon, while the inquiry at Leeds is progressing.
Dr Bill Kirkup, the lead investigator into Savile's offending at Broadmoor, has now launched an appeal for more witnesses to come forward.
In all, Savile is believed to have committed offences at 14 health institutions - 13 hospitals and a hospice.
BRITAIN'S 'PREDATORY' PAEDOPHILE: HOW THE SAVILE SCANDAL UNFOLDED
October 29, 2011: Veteran DJ and broadcaster Jimmy Savile is found dead in his home in Roundhay, Leeds, aged 84. His death came after a spell of pneumonia.
December 2011: BBC drops Newsnight investigation into his years of sex attacks.
September 30, 2012: It emerges that allegations about Savile will be made in a new ITV documentary, due to be aired on October 3.
October 1: Surrey Police confirms Savile was interviewed in 2007 over allegations dating back to the 1970s but was released without charge.
October 2: Reports that Jersey and Surrey police both investigated accusations about alleged abuse in two children’s homes, but decided there was not enough evidence to proceed.
October 2: Jeremy Paxman has a furious stand-off with his Newsnight bosses begins because he disbelieves editor Peter Rippon's blog into why he dropped the Savile abuse investigation.
October 7: Prime Minister David Cameron calls for the 'truly shocking' allegations to be fully investigated.
October 9: Scotland Yard reveals they are looking at 120 lines of inquiry and as many as 25 victims and launches Operation Yewtree
October 11: Allegations emerge that Savile abused children at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Buckinghamshire and Leeds General Hospital.
October 12: Then BBC director general George Entwistle offers a 'profound and heartfelt apology' to alleged victims as he announces two inquiries - one into potential failings over the handling of the abandoned Newsnight investigation, and a second into the 'culture and practices of the BBC during the years Savile worked here'.
October 19: Scotland Yard announces that Operation Yewtree, the inquiry into alleged child abuse by Savile, is now a formal criminal investigation involving other living people.
October 22: Newsnight editor Peter Rippon, will step aside, it's announced
October 25: Scotland Yard says it is investigating in excess of 400 lines of inquiry involving 300 victims, of whom all except two are women. Commander Peter Spindler says Savile is one of the most prolific sex offenders in recent history and the inquiry into his abuse will be a “watershed” investigation into sex crime.
October 26: It emerges that seven alleged victims of Savile made complaints to four separate police forces - Surrey, London, Sussex and Jersey - while the disgraced television presenter was alive, but it was decided no further action should be taken.
November 2: Newsnight runs controversial report which wrongly linked former Tory party chairman Lord McAlpine to child abuse allegations.
December 19: Pollard Review reveals better leadership could have prevented 'chaos and confusion' at BBC over Savile scandal. Peter Rippon replaced as editor of Newsnight.
February 14, 2013: It's announced that the BBC’s most high-profile woman executive Helen Boaden, formerly director of news, will become director of radio. She had been criticised in the Pollard Review for failing to tackle the 'virtual meltdown' in parts of the news department.
February 22: Pollard Review transcripts and appendices are released on BBC website
March 6: Britain's top prosecutor Keir Starmer announces tough new measures to avoid 'another Savile moment'
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