BBC pays wrongly-accused sex abuser
Source: Agencies |
November 17, 2012, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THE BBC has agreed to pay 185,000 pounds (US$295,000) to a former treasurer of Britain's Conservative Party wrongly accused of child sex abuse in one of its reports.
The settlement came as media reports said one of the BBC's former stars had been arrested as part of an ongoing police investigation into sex crimes centered on the publicly funded broadcaster.
Lord Alistair McAlpine, an ally of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, was named on the Internet as being the unidentified senior politician accused in a report by the BBC's Newsnight program of abusing boys in social care.
The flawed film sparked one of the worst crises in the BBC's 90-year history and claimed the scalp of Director-General George Entwistle, after the abuse victim central to the BBC investigation said McAlpine was not one of his attackers.
"I am delighted to have reached a quick and early settlement with the BBC," McAlpine said in a statement.
"I have been conscious that any settlement will be paid by the licence fee payers, and have taken that into account in reaching agreement with the BBC."
His lawyer warned others who had sullied his client's reputation to get in touch before they too faced litigation, a threat which could ensnare hundreds of Twitter users and bloggers who wrongly named McAlpine.
The controversy convulsed the BBC just as it was trying to grapple with revelations that former star presenter Jimmy Savile, who died last year aged 84, was one of Britain's most prolific sex offenders.
Police, investigating claims against Savile, said on Thursday that they had arrested a fourth man, radio presenter Dave Lee Travis aged in his 60s, on suspicion of sexual offences.
The settlement came as media reports said one of the BBC's former stars had been arrested as part of an ongoing police investigation into sex crimes centered on the publicly funded broadcaster.
Lord Alistair McAlpine, an ally of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, was named on the Internet as being the unidentified senior politician accused in a report by the BBC's Newsnight program of abusing boys in social care.
The flawed film sparked one of the worst crises in the BBC's 90-year history and claimed the scalp of Director-General George Entwistle, after the abuse victim central to the BBC investigation said McAlpine was not one of his attackers.
"I am delighted to have reached a quick and early settlement with the BBC," McAlpine said in a statement.
"I have been conscious that any settlement will be paid by the licence fee payers, and have taken that into account in reaching agreement with the BBC."
His lawyer warned others who had sullied his client's reputation to get in touch before they too faced litigation, a threat which could ensnare hundreds of Twitter users and bloggers who wrongly named McAlpine.
The controversy convulsed the BBC just as it was trying to grapple with revelations that former star presenter Jimmy Savile, who died last year aged 84, was one of Britain's most prolific sex offenders.
Police, investigating claims against Savile, said on Thursday that they had arrested a fourth man, radio presenter Dave Lee Travis aged in his 60s, on suspicion of sexual offences.
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