Sussex Savile victims to sue (From The Argus)
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Sussex Savile victims to sue
7:00am Friday 15th February 2013 in News By Anna Roberts, Crime reporter
Two women who say they were abused by Jimmy Savile are suing the BBC and the fallen star’s estate.
The women, both from Brighton, are among 31 people who have issued a writ against the former Top of the Pops presenter’s estate and the corporation.
Yesterday Pannone, the firm of solicitors that is representing the victims, said that it could not confirm the ages of the Sussex women.
Solicitor Alan Collins said a writ had been issued at the High Court and the number of victims at Pannone was growing “on a daily basis”.
He said: “The purpose of issuing the writ is to protect our clients’ position and to seek management directions from the court to ensure the claims are administered as efficiently as possible.
“At this stage we are unable to expand in detail on the nature of the cases or the allegations that have been made, which range in seriousness from inappropriate behaviour to serious sexual abuse.”
A BBC spokesman said: “We’re unable to comment on any legal claims of this nature made against the corporation.”
Savile’s £4 million estate has already been frozen by the executor, NatWest.
Sussex Police, which has come under fire for its handling of allegations, confirmed a number of people had reported being assaulted by Savile.
In March 2008 a 59-year-old woman reported to Sussex Police that she had been indecently assaulted by a man at a location in Worthing on a date in the summer of 1970 when she was 22.
Other women have come forward to say they were attacked by Savile in Brighton and East Grinstead between 1966 and 1983.
Five other people currently living in the county have called Sussex Police to say they were the victims of offences by Savile elsewhere in the country.
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Cave Johnson says...
8:50am Fri 15 Feb 13