Today’s report lays bare claims against Jimmy Savile’s older brother Johnny now revealed as a serial abuser of women patients at Springfield mental hospital in the 1970s.

Jimmy Savile's brother sexually abused mental health patients, report finds

But like Jimmy Savile, six years his junior, he escaped justice before his death.

The report points out Savile’s ‘celebrity by association’ and his implied threat of power over victims.

His office bore his name for years after he was sacked for gross misconduct in 1980.

The report also said there was a culture of over-familiarity which made it difficult for patients to make allegations of abuse, although someone else was reported to police in 1979/80.

One of his victims, described as V2, said today in a statement issued by lawyers: “My medical records show that the rape had been disclosed on 14 occasions starting in 1991.

“I was not taken seriously and no investigation or enquiry took place until now.

“Even though I was disclosing to medical professionals, no one offered me specialist treatment to deal with the assault and so I have had to live with this for many, many years.”

The investigation report says that she walked into Lavender Hill police station in 1998 and 2006 to tell them Savile raped her in his office on June 4, 1979.

But it was not recorded as a formal complaint by police.

Attempts, in 1991 and then again in 2006, to tell South West London and St George’s Trust (SWLSTG) about Savile’s crimes were also not acted upon. At the time the trust’s policy was that any allegations like these should have been passed onto police.

She finally made a report to Operation Yewtree in October 2012.

V2’s account details how she had been attending the day hospital when she was taken to the recreation hall to play badminton. Savile invited her into his office “for a cup of tea”. When she visited he raped her.

She did not tell staff what had happened. She only told her step mother who has since died.

But she did tell a mental health assessment 10 years later in February 1991 that she had been raped at Springfield. The claim is recorded in unsigned notes. But there is no evidence anything was done.

A second attempt as late as July 2006 to get SWLSTG to investigate was also unsuccessful.

Mark Barnard, a Wandsworth community health team manager, and Dr Dieneke Hubbelling, a consultant psychiatrist, were told about the claim in July 2006 according to the report.

The victim also sent an email to then acting director of corporate affairs Kim Goddard on July 18 2006 with the subject line “rape was by a member of staff” about Savile.

V2 emailed again in March 2009 but today's report said the email was “a statement” not a complaint.

But the report said that the response by the trust was dominated by defending itself against her challenging the veracity of her medical notes between 1991 and 2005.

It says she made an unsuccessful attempt to take her case to the civil courts in the late 1990s. But she had been able to prove to the trust mistakes about her family background and schooling.

Dr Hubbeling said she had only been working for SWLSTG for six weeks at the time and did not know the safeguarding policy. SWLSTG said it would take advice about her from the National Clinical Assessment Service.

Mr Barnard’s current employers have been told about his “apparent lack of action”. He told the investigation he does not remember V2 ever mentioning rape or sexual assault, and said he was keeping careful notes given her challenge before. He said he did not remember an email forwarded to him and Dr Hubbeling by Ms Goddard.

Ms Goddard, who no longer works “in a direct clinical context” did not remember what action had been taken about the email but acknowledged she did not take further action.

When V2 was finally interviewed by the trust she also made an allegation she was physically assaulted by an unnamed man on the Aster Ward during an admission at Springfield in 1979, witnessed by staff.

She also said she was sexually assaulted by a male patient during a walk in the grounds during a second stay at Springfield in 1979. She did not report the attack to staff as she believed she would be thought of as promiscuous and responsible for the attack. The trust says it still will investigate these attacks if more information comes out.

Other victims

1/ A patient in the Yew ward at Springfield said that Savile touched her in an inappropriate way in 1979, after she had been transferred from West Park Hospital in Epsom. She said patients might just say ‘I’m going to see Johnny tonight; we’re going for a drink’ to "keep in his good books".

3/ A hospital administrator told the investigation she remembered hearing about an allegation Savile touched a patient. But no record of their name could be found in the records and the investigation drew a blank.

4/ A staff member said “over-friendly” Johnny Saville touched her inappropriately in the late 1970s at Springfield. She slapped him and told the head porter who said “good for you”. Savile steered clear from then on.

She said he “used his brother’s fame” and also talked about his role with the league of friends and hospital fetes. She also said Savile ‘may’ have been able to get into the hospital’s mortuary.

5/ A visitor to Springfield in 1978 said Savile grabbed her breasts twice in his office in front of other people while her partner was using the recreation hall for band rehearsals, an arrangement made by Savile. She said Savile told the other men in the office they could have sex with patients in exchange for money or cigarettes.

6/ A patient said Savile put "her hands on her body" groping her in April 1980. He was sacked for this incident, tried to appeal, but was unsuccessful. 

7/ Another patient told the 1980 disciplinary he had done the same to her. Despite the tribunal there is no record of any criminal conviction or caution against Savile. 

The investigation said: "There is also some corroborative evidence...that the hospital wanted to ‘get rid’ of Johnny Savile in 1980 ‘quietly’ as he
had minor celebrity status.

"It is perhaps for this reason there is little press information and few staff recollections about how he left the hospital."

SWLSTG says it is possible further allegations could be made. Savile organised tickets for 'Speedway' car racing for patients and also ran a disco at a girls' school on June 25, 1979. The council safeguarding officer has been told about the disco.

Lessons learned

South West London and St George's Mental Health Trust said there had been a change of culture in the Trust, even in the last few years, with whistleblowing policies, robust safeguarding and incident investigation procedures.

The report said: "The Trust is committed to providing support to any patient, former patient, current or past staff member or member of the public who may have been subject to inappropriate and unwanted attention from Johnny Savile during the period of his employment at Springfield or while visiting the Richmond Royal.

"We know that it may not be easy for people to discuss their experiences but if they do feel able to come forward with information then we will ensure they are fully supported and incidents will be investigated as far as possible."