Police probe reveals ' no protection' for shamed Savile

Jimmy Savile Credit: ITV Yorkshire

A report by West Yorkshire Police into its contact with the disgraced former TV presenter Jimmy Savile has concluded there is "no evidence" he was protected from arrest or prosecution as a result of his relationship with the force.

But the review, which is published today and has taken five months, found there was an "over reliance on personal friendships" between the late BBC star and some officers.

Savile was revealed to be a prolific sexual predator and paedophile following the screening last year of an ITV documentary " Exposure" - almost a year after his death.

The findings of the 59-page report are to be passed onto the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Part of the investigation looked at the disgraced broadcaster's "Friday Morning Club", after reports that officers regularly attended his flat in Leeds while on duty.

But the report concludes: "In spite of the rumour and speculation surrounding this meeting, no evidence has been found of any police impropriety or misconduct."

The review also reveals that Leeds-born Savile was used to front a number of the force's campaigns, including one called Talking Signs, where a recording of his voice was broadcast from lamp posts offering crime prevention advice.

The report stressed that at the time he was "seen by most of the public as a man who did good work".

But it concluded: "The review team have concerns regarding the absence of a process to secure Savile's services for some of these events and also the over reliance on personal friendships that developed between Savile and some officers over a number of years to secure that support.

"He was able to manage his public persona in such a way that he deceived most people he met. He was a manipulative man who exploited to the worst possible degree the trust people placed in him. This is little consolation to his victims and WYP accept there are lessons that must be learned and implemented quickly."

The report also reveals that there are "currently 76 crimes involving 68 victims committed in the West Yorkshire area relating to Savile", but none of these were reported to the force before his death.