BBC Pauses Sex Pictures Scandal Investigation as Police Takes Over
The BBC has paused its investigation into allegations that a top BBC presenter paid a teenager for explicit photographs after being asked to by the London Metropolitan Police.
Speaking at a press briefing held to discuss the corporation’s annual report, BBC director general Tim Davie said: “Clearly, any affair of this nature is serious in terms of the BBC and its reputation. Trust is absolutely fundamental to the BBC.”
“We constantly need as the BBC, and with myself and our senior team, to be seen to be navigating what are complex, fast moving issues with care and diligence and doing that properly and calmly. And if we do that, then I have faith that people will see that the BBC as an institution is precious, and doing the right thing,” Davie added.
In addition, the BBC said in a statement on Tuesday: “Yesterday, 10 July, the BBC’s Corporate Investigations Team had a meeting with the Metropolitan Police in relation to information provided to the BBC by The Sun newspaper on Thursday 6 July. As a result of this meeting, the BBC has been asked to pause its investigations into the allegations while the police scope future work.
We know that questions have been asked about how the complaint was initially managed, so today we have published an update that sets out key dates [see below] and some additional information that we are currently able to share.
The BBC has processes and protocols for receiving information and managing complaints when they are first made. We always take these matters extremely seriously and seek to manage them with the appropriate duty of care.
The events of recent days have shown how complex and challenging these kinds of cases can be and how vital it is that they are handled with the utmost diligence and care.
There will, of course, be lessons to be learned following this exercise. Although the current issues has not yet been fully resolved, the director General has asked Leigh Tavaziva, the BBC’s group chief operating officer, to assess whether our protocols and procedures are appropriate in light of this case, and report to the BBC board on this in due course.”
The scandal emerged last Friday when U.K. tabloid The Sun published a story alleging that a top BBC presenter paid a teenager more than £35,000 ($44,500) since they were 17 in exchange for explicit photographs.
While 17 is over the age of sexual content, under the U.K.’s Protection of Children Act 1978 it is a crime to take, make, share and possess indecent images of people under 18 and the the maximum sentence for the offence is 10 years.
On Saturday, fresh allegations emerged in the tabloid that the presenter stripped to their underwear for a video call. The Sun wrote, quoting the alleged victim’s mother who claimed to have seen the presenter on her child’s phone: “leaning forward, getting ready for my child to perform for him.”
The mother’s claims are in a sworn affidavit provided to The Sun, the tabloid said, adding that the young person’s family complained to the BBC on May 19.
On Sunday, the BBC suspended a male member of staff over the matter.
However, on Monday, a lawyer representing the young person dismissed the claims made by the mother as “rubbish.” Responding to this, The Sun said that the young person’s parents are standing by their statement.
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Source: Variety
