Savile scandal snowballing in Britain

29 Oct 2012, 3:08 pm   -   Source: AAP

Former glam rocker Gary Glitter has been released on bail after being arrested by police investigating sexual abuse allegations against Jimmy Savile.

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Former glam rocker Gary Glitter has been released on bail after being arrested by police investigating sexual abuse allegations against the late British TV star Jimmy Savile that have plunged the BBC into crisis.

The 1970s pop star will appear before officers in December as part of the investigation police have termed "Savile and others", according to a Scotland Yard statement.

Glitter, whose real name is Paul Gadd, is the first person arrested in an investigation which has snowballed since claims that Savile molested underage girls were aired in a television documentary earlier this month.

The king of the glam rock era with a string of hits, has served a jail term in Britain for downloading child pornography and in Vietnam for child sex offences.

Wearing a hat, dark glasses and a winter coat, 68-year-old Glitter was seen being escorted from his central London home into a waiting vehicle early on Sunday.

"Officers working on Operation Yewtree have today arrested a man in his 60s in connection with the investigation," a Scotland Yard spokesman said on Sunday.

The operation has identified about 300 possible victims of Savile over a 40-year period, which would make the eccentric BBC presenter one of the worst sex offenders in British history.

The claims against Savile have plunged the BBC into crisis and destroyed the reputation of a man who, with his garish tracksuits and ever-present cigar, was one of the most famous faces on British television for decades.

Savile, who died on October 29 last year aged 84, also single-handedly raised tens of millions of pounds for charity.

The claims against him in an ITV documentary gave dozens of others the courage to come forward to police with allegations about Savile and others involved with him who are still alive.

Savile's great-niece on Sunday told Sky News she was abused twice by the DJ and that the family turned a blind eye to her claims.

"They both happened during a family gathering," said Caroline Robinson, 49.

"Jimmy got it down to perfection, where he managed to do it and what he did and nobody noticed.

"After it happened when I was 12, I spoke to my grandmother, I told her what Jimmy had done. Her reply was, 'it's only Jimmy, it doesn't matter, I'll sort it out'."

Police on Sunday said that Savile's house in Glencoe, Scotland, had been vandalised.

"Jimmy the beast" was written on the wall and the door was badly damaged.

Glitter was the king of the 1970s over-the-top glam era, complete with extravagant make-up, bouffant wigs, silver jumpsuits and high boots.

He sold more then 20 million records and had a string of hits like I'm The Leader Of The Gang (I Am) and Rock and Roll (Parts 1 and 2).

He was convicted in Vietnam in March 2006 of "obscene acts" with two girls aged 11 and 12, and returned to London in August 2008 after his release from prison.

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