Savile Victims: We Were Ignored And Laughed At

Jimmy Savile abuse victims have claimed they were laughed at and ignored when trying to report their experiences to authorities.

The revelations came as more than 130 victims started a High Court fight for compensation to be paid out of the late DJ's will.

Lawyers are arguing for money from a £4m charitable fund set up in Savile's name when he died in 2011.

A judge is hearing submissions at a private hearing in London. The hearing before Mr Justice Sales is understood to relate to money left in the star's will.

The latest comments from victims have come out of an investigation into how abused people were treated at the time.

Children's charity the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) held interviews and focus groups with 29 victims as part of a comprehensive report into how abuse claims were dealt with by authorities.

Many of the interviewees, who were children at the time of their abuse, admitted that they did not come forward out of a fear they would be branded liars and be laughed at.

One victim who did speak out said: "Everyone found it hilarious so eventually I just stopped talking about it."

The report said this was a recurring theme from their research: "Jimmy Savile was a powerful and influential adult, who was seen as a charitable, good guy, raising a lot of money for charity. This led to feelings of helplessness and inferiority in his victims, who felt there was no way that their word would have been believed over his."

Liz Dux, a lawyer acting on behalf of many of Savile's victims, said outside court: "It is not about amounts or cold hard cash but redress. The victims suffered some horrific abuse, often in silence.

"It is right and proper that their suffering is now recognised.

"I urge everyone involved in the process to make it as smooth and pain-free as possible in order to guard against any further suffering."

Victims who were interviewed all agree that making it a legal obligation for staff to report allegations of abuse could have led to the arrest of the late radio and TV personality.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.