The legacy of Jimmy Savile was today all but obliterated after his name was removed from a conference centre and his grave grassed over.
The removal of his surname from Saviles Hall at the Royal Armouries in Leeds came as the first man to report a sexual assault by the telly star spoke publicly about his ordeal.
He described how as a nine-year-old he was groped in the back of Savile’s Rolls-Royce.
Earlier yesterday the star’s headstone was removed from a Scarborough cemetery and taken in a skip to landfill and the land turfed over.
The body of the shamed star, who died two days before his 85th birthday last October, will remain in an unmarked grave.
Scotland Yard have named Savile as “predatory” with a predilection for young teenage girls.
There are now 129 separate lines of inquiry with an estimated 25 alleged victims.
Lord Patten said a BBC inquiry would also be launched.
John Gibbin, of Redcar, 49, said he was lured into the presenter’s car in 1972 and assaulted.
He said: “He asked me in and we sat in the back while he showed me the car’s drinks cabinet, with the bottles of whisky and brandy, and the electric windows, which I was fascinated with.
“I was in the car alone with him for about 10 minutes and then he just leaned across, smelling of cigars and alcohol, and lunged at me, and put his hand down my trousers and groped me.”
“I knew a man shouldn’t be fondling a boy like that. I didn’t dare tell my parents because I was ashamed and I thought they would be angry or think I was lying. I kept it a secret. But it was so hard to watch him on the TV after that, especially when he was doing Jim’ll Fix It.”
Cleveland Police confirmed they had received a complaint relating to “a historic allegation of sexual assault”.
And Greater Manchester Police have also been contacted. Police said they are investigating two allegations that Savile sexually abused children in Salford during the 1960s.
Leeds General Infirmary, where the DJ legend worked as a volunteer porter for decades, has also said they were prepared to cooperate with police.
And yesterday (Oct 10) comedian Freddie Starr branded Savile “despicable” and “disgusting” as he urged police to interview him so he could clear his name.
The 69-year-old and fiancee Sophie Lea, 34, appeared on ITV’s This Morning to refute claims that Starr was involved in groping a teenager after she had been assaulted by Savile in a BBC dressing room.
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