BBC And Savile's Estate Sued By Sex Victims

Jimmy Savile's estate and the BBC are being sued on behalf of 31 alleged sex abuse victims.

Solicitor Alan Collins said a writ has been issued at the High Court and the number of victims his firm Pannone is in contact with "grows 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 £4m estate has already been frozen by executors NatWest.

Another lawyer representing more than 50 of Savile's victims, Liz Dux, has previously confirmed that all of them will be pursuing civil claims for compensation.

She said that her clients would sue Savile's estate and would also pursue claims against the organisations responsible for where the alleged abuse took place.

The full scale of the late TV presenter's 54-year campaign of abuse was detailed in a joint police and NSPCC report in January.

It revealed that Savile's youngest victim was an eight-year-old boy and that he also abused seriously ill children.

There are now 214 criminal offences recorded against his name, including 34 rapes.