Expert Lawyers Say Victims Deserve Thorough Investigation

By Helen MacGregor

The BBC has announced that it will hold a separate investigation into abuse by broadcaster Stuart Hall from the Jimmy Savile inquiry due to a potential ‘conflict of interest’.

Expert child abuse lawyers at Irwin Mitchell have welcomed the news saying it will give the victims peace of mind that everything is been done to thoroughly investigate how the abuse was allowed to happen.

Earlier this month Hall, of Wilmslow in Cheshire, pleaded guilty to 14 offences, involving 13 victims, which occurred between 1967 and 1985. The former host of the BBC game show ‘It's a Knockout’ was bailed and is due to be sentenced on 17 June.

Dame Janet Smith is currently reviewing the culture and practices of the BBC following the Jimmy Savile scandal.

But a separate inquiry feeding into her report will be led by a different person, due to a ‘potential conflict of interest’, the BBC confirmed.

Tracey Storey, a Partner at Irwin Mitchell who has represented many victims of child abuse, comments: “We have been appalled at the reports of abuse by Stuart Hall but In the deluge of media, we should not forget the people that have had the courage to speak out and who have been living with the disabling effects of abuse for many years.

“Hall’s victims deserve answers as to how he was allowed to get away with abusing his celebrity status for so long and we welcome the news that a separate inquiry will be fed into the Jimmy Savile investigation to get to the bottom of standards and working practices at the BBC. We hope any potential findings identified will be learnt from to ensure the same appalling abuse cannot happen again.

“It is often the case that high profile cases such as this trigger painful memories.  In fact, this scandal is giving courage to some survivors to speak out for the first time.  More people are disclosing and seeking therapeutic help.  Survivors are being empowered and this is an important reminder to us all of how prevalent abuse is and how we must all be vigilant about safeguarding children.”

Read more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise relating to child abuse claims