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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Jimmy Savile police 'overzealous', says former BBC producer | Jimmy Savile police 'overzealous', says former BBC producer |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| A former BBC producer arrested but not charged following investigations amid the Jimmy Savile abuse scandal has accused the police of being "overzealous". | A former BBC producer arrested but not charged following investigations amid the Jimmy Savile abuse scandal has accused the police of being "overzealous". |
| Wilfred De'ath, producer of a radio show hosted by Savile, said officers had been "arresting people on rather spurious allegations", having lamentably failed "to get" the presenter when he was alive. | Wilfred De'ath, producer of a radio show hosted by Savile, said officers had been "arresting people on rather spurious allegations", having lamentably failed "to get" the presenter when he was alive. |
| De'ath, who is in his 70s, was arrested in November, one of 11 people detained under Operation Yewtree, which was prompted by the Savile allegations. | De'ath, who is in his 70s, was arrested in November, one of 11 people detained under Operation Yewtree, which was prompted by the Savile allegations. |
| The Crown Prosecution Service said on Monday there was not enough evidence to charge De'ath after a woman withdrew allegations against him. | The Crown Prosecution Service said on Monday there was not enough evidence to charge De'ath after a woman withdrew allegations against him. |
| The woman concerned maintained the allegations were true, according to the CPS, but did not want to pursue the case if the matter went to trial. | The woman concerned maintained the allegations were true, according to the CPS, but did not want to pursue the case if the matter went to trial. |
| De'ath told reporters at the time of his arrest that it was a case of mistaken identity and denied any wrongdoing. | De'ath told reporters at the time of his arrest that it was a case of mistaken identity and denied any wrongdoing. |
| He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Tuesday that while he realised police were only doing their job, they had also "gone too far the other way", after the mistakes in earlier Savile inquiries. | He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Tuesday that while he realised police were only doing their job, they had also "gone too far the other way", after the mistakes in earlier Savile inquiries. |
| "Operation Yewtree has gone too far … It really is getting silly," said De'ath who produced Savile on The Teen Scene. He has previously admitted that he knew the presenter had once spent a night in a hotel with a girl who was probably 10 at the time, and claimed he had warned Savile that he was living dangerously. | "Operation Yewtree has gone too far … It really is getting silly," said De'ath who produced Savile on The Teen Scene. He has previously admitted that he knew the presenter had once spent a night in a hotel with a girl who was probably 10 at the time, and claimed he had warned Savile that he was living dangerously. |
| Asked about this by Today host John Humphrys, De'ath said Savile had just "brushed me off" . Though he was shocked and appalled by Savile's behaviour, he said, "I have to be honest and say I wouldn't have dreamed of going and grassing him up". | Asked about this by Today host John Humphrys, De'ath said Savile had just "brushed me off" . Though he was shocked and appalled by Savile's behaviour, he said, "I have to be honest and say I wouldn't have dreamed of going and grassing him up". |
| De'ath said: "I was actually physically frightened of Savile. He was a very intimidating physical presence. He had been a boxer and a wrestler … and he was in with some very, very rough people." | De'ath said: "I was actually physically frightened of Savile. He was a very intimidating physical presence. He had been a boxer and a wrestler … and he was in with some very, very rough people." |
| Though he did "slightly regret" not reporting the presenter to authorities, "it was common talk in the corridors of Broadcasting House that Savile liked young girls". | Though he did "slightly regret" not reporting the presenter to authorities, "it was common talk in the corridors of Broadcasting House that Savile liked young girls". |
| De'ath, who claimed to be "full of self-loathing" that he did not do more over Savile, said society had changed in the past 50 years. "We were all womanisers. I was a womaniser … As far as I know, womanising is not a criminal offence. I never went underage. No girl that I ever slept with was underage. | De'ath, who claimed to be "full of self-loathing" that he did not do more over Savile, said society had changed in the past 50 years. "We were all womanisers. I was a womaniser … As far as I know, womanising is not a criminal offence. I never went underage. No girl that I ever slept with was underage. |
| "You proposition maybe a hundred women on the chance that maybe two or three would say yes. Now that may be regarded as a shocking statement. That was what it was like in the 50s and 60s, when I was – whatever the word is – a young blood." | "You proposition maybe a hundred women on the chance that maybe two or three would say yes. Now that may be regarded as a shocking statement. That was what it was like in the 50s and 60s, when I was – whatever the word is – a young blood." |
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