The BBC has contacted police over allegations that a presenter paid a teenager £35,000 for explicit images.
The corporation has been widely criticised for its handling of the scandal. The man who hasn’t been named, was allowed to carry on presenting for nearly two months after the family contacted the beeb.
According to The Times:
Tim Davie, the director-general, held crisis talks with the government as ministers stressed that the broadcaster must hold an urgent investigation.
BBC managers were said to be in crisis mode over a report in The Sun on Saturday that the presenter had allegedly given the young person more than £35,000 since they were 17 in return for “sordid images”. It is a crime to create, distribute or possess sexual imagery of under-18s.
The family complained on May 19 but saw that the presenter was still on air in June. The mother said her child, who is now 20, allegedly received £1,000 by PayPal that same month. She said her child spent the money on an addiction to crack cocaine.
The family told the newspaper they wanted no payment for the story. “We just wanted the BBC to tell him to stop,” the mother said. “I’ve had three years of hell. The impact of this has been terrifying.
My child was always a great student but there’s been a radical change of behaviour. It’s heartbreaking. In my mind that man was supplying the crack.
My child wouldn’t have access to this money if it wasn’t for him. If it goes on then my child is going to wind up dead. Putting this out to the public is the only way to stop it.”
She made her claims in an affidavit.
Scotland Yard said: “The Met has received initial contact from the BBC in relation to this matter but no formal referral or allegation has been made. We will require additional information before determining what further action should follow.”
One BBC presenter said: “On the face of it, this looks horrendous — both for the individual and the institution.”
Another said: “Whatever the truth of it is, none of us trust managers to investigate properly. Colleagues are saying managers have been too slow in dealing with this despite it perhaps being a criminal matter.”
Lucy Frazer, the culture secretary, summoned Davie to talks yesterday and has requested that he provide updates on the status of the BBC’s investigation. She said Davie had assured her that the corporation was “investigating swiftly and sensitively”. Officials will be in daily contact with the broadcaster.
