BBC admits it received six complaints about sex storm DJ Westwood
...after saying it had ‘no record’ of any despite abuse claims
THE BBC has said it received six complaints about ex-Radio 1 presenter Tim Westwood.
Yet the corporation previously said it could find ‘no evidence of complaints’.
Yesterday it emerged that one ‘ historical’ complaint against the hip-hop DJ had previously been referred to the police by the broadcaster.
Mr Westwood, 64, a DJ at Radio 1 and Radio 1Xtra from 1994 to 2013, quit his Capital Xtra show in April amid sexual misconduct allegations.
It was alleged that he had used his standing to take advantage of seven women in their late teens and early 20s.
When the allegations surfaced in April, following an investigation by BBC News and The Guardian, the corporation’s director-general Tim Davie said he had seen no evidence of allegations.
He told a conference: ‘I’ve seen no evidence of complaints. I’ve asked and we looked at our records and we’ve seen no evidence.’ But it has emerged there was at least one reference in its files to the conduct of Mr Westwood. Aside from the case referred to the police, he was also spoken to about another complaint.
According to BBC News, the corporation is ‘not aware’ of what further action was taken, but was investigating this.
The BBC yesterday declined to clarify how many of the complaints came in after Mr Davie’s remarks. But the corporation insisted that Mr Davie had spoken in good faith.
The latest news came to light after one of the BBC’s own journalists challenged its handling of a Freedom of Information request.
A spokesman said the case ‘did not relate to conduct at the BBC, BBC premises, or conduct towards a BBC staff member, nor was it an accusation of physical assault’.
Mr Davie was director of audio and music at the BBC between 2008 and 2012, meaning he was in charge of its radio output, including Radio 1.
A BBC spokesman said: ‘We said we would take this seriously, and we are. When that work has concluded, we will say more.’ A statement from Westwood’s representatives in April said: ‘ Tim Westwood strongly denies all allegations of inappropriate behaviour.
‘In a career that has spanned 40 years, there have never been any complaints made against him officially or unofficially.’