About this episode

The episode explores the legacy of Jimmy Savile's abuse and the institutional failures that allowed it to continue for decades, featuring insights from Simon Bailey on child protection reforms.

How was Jimmy Savile able to abuse children and vulnerable people for decades while surrounded by powerful institutions, public admiration and extraordinary access? In this powerful episode of True Criminals, Martin Brunt and Helen Fospero examine one of the most significant safeguarding failures in modern British history, exploring how opportunities to stop a prolific offender were repeatedly missed and what those failures continue to teach us today. Joining us is Simon Bailey, former Chief Constable of Norfolk Constabulary, former National Police Chiefs' Council Lead for Child Protection, who led Operation Hydrant following the exposure of Savile's crimes, and now Chair of Trustees of Embrace Child Survivors of Crime. Drawing on decades of policing experience, Simon explains how the revelations surrounding Savile transformed the investigation of child sexual abuse, why survivors often remain silent for years, and how policing, healthcare and public institutions have changed in response. Together, we discuss the importance of believing and supporting survivors while ensuring investigations remain fair, evidence-led and focused on justice. Support Information This podcast…

People in this episode

Hosts: Martin Brunt, Helen Fospero

Guest: Simon Bailey

Topics covered

• child sexual abuse
• institutional failures
• safeguarding
• policing
• survivor support
• justice

Keywords

• Jimmy Savile
• child protection
• institutional abuse
• safeguarding failures
• police investigation
• survivor silence
• child exploitation

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Norfolk Constabulary, Embrace Child Survivors of Crime

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