The Jimmy Savile case has been reopened again as a woman named Karin Ward claimed to have been sexually assaulted by him and reports have emerged that former BBC Radio 1 boss Douglas Muggeridge knew about Jimmy Savile’s sexual abuse claims that were rampant in 1970s.

Rodney Collins, an ex-press officer for the station has claimed that an ex-Radio 1 controller, the late Douglas Muggeridge, asked him to find out whether newspapers were looking into sex abuse claims about Savile in 1973. Collins, who was head of press for Radio 1 at the time, pressed for internal investigation by the BBC regarding Jimmy Savile, who was a DJ then at the BBC station, to understand who knew what and how much.

Collins said Muggeridge had told him in 1973 that he had heard rumours involving young girls relating to the Radio 1 programme ‘Savile’s Travels’ and wanted to know whether any newspapers were investigating.

The BBC has examined all official records held about Savile and found no evidence of formal complaints or disciplinary proceedings. However, any informal conversations involving BBC executives are unlikely to have been officially recorded.

Collins added that he believed Muggeridge and the then managing director of BBC radio, Ian Trethowan, knew about the Savile claims. He said that both Muggeridge and Trethowan would have taken action if they believed in the rumours.

Karin Ward, who claims she witnessed sexual abuse by Savile, has accused BBC bosses for dropping its Newsnight investigation into Jimmy Savile. The BBC said last night it was “horrified” about the onslaught of fresh allegations that have emerged. The corporation vowed to co-operate with any police investigations after an intervention by the new director general, George Entwistle.

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