BBC’S Simpson accuses children’s presenter of abuse
ANOTHER BBC radio celebrity whose career spanned half a century is alleged to have molested young boys he invited into his studio at Broadcasting House.
It is claimed the abuse was hushed up by corporation bosses, who wrote to the parents of any boys who complained advising them not to take the allegations further.
The name of the man, who was a children’s radio star, is already circulating on Twitter and other sites. It has been passed to police examining the torrent of allegations against the late Jimmy Savile.
The man’s alleged sex crimes were first raised in a book written by respected BBC World Affairs Editor John Simpson, 68, more than ten years ago.
He said he was told of them when compiling the man’s obitu- ary shortly after his death in 1967. Simpson claimed he was told to keep them secret by his immediate boss. Yesterday the Sun newspaper ran a report on the affair, giving the man the same pseudonym – ‘Uncle Dick’ – that Simpson had used in his book.
But last night thousands could see his name on Twitter, after numerous users posted it having followed the obvious clues given by Simpson to identify him.
The man’s daughters and grandchildren said yesterday that the claims were ‘complete rubbish’, apparently made on scant secondhand evidence.
None of the relatives had heard anything about the allegations until contacted by the Daily Mail yesterday, even though they were first published in 1999.
They were contained in Simpson’s autobiography, Strange Places, Questionable People. In it, the journalist wrote of his early years at the BBC, and of ‘Uncle Dick’s’ death in 1967. He had worked at the corporation since the 1920s.
Simpson said he was asked to write the radio star’s obituary, and as research rang a woman he named as ‘Auntie Gladys’.
This woman reportedly described ‘Uncle Dick’ as ‘an evil old b******’ and added: ‘I hope he died in agony.’
‘How dare he say something like this’
Simpson wrote in his autobiography: ‘Week after week, children from all over the country would win competitions to visit the BBC and meet Uncle Dick. He would welcome them, show them around, give them lunch, then take them to the gents and interfere with them.
‘If parents complained, the Director General’s office would write saying the nation wouldn’t understand such an accusation against a muchloved figure.’
Simpson went on to say that he told his editor of these allegations – but was hectored into writing a report praising him.
According to his account, his boss called him a ‘stupid, unthinking, ignorant, destructive young idiot’, before going on to dictate: ‘Auntie Gladys told the BBC tonight that she was deeply saddened by Uncle Dick’s death. He had a wonderful way with children.’
Simpson said the editor then told him: ‘That’s how you do an obit.’
Simpson was yesterday abroad and not responding to messages.
Last night one of the man’s daughters, who is 76 and lives near London, told the Daily Mail: ‘I’m absolutely astounded by these claims. My father did nothing but good. He was disabled and did a lot for charity. He was a patron of one charity alongside the Queen Mother. And he was a very busy man who did not have the opportunity to invite children to the BBC or to do these things.
‘As far as I understand John Simpson was on BBC television, not radio, so never met my father – and this is all hearsay. John Simpson should be for the high jump. How dare he say something like this.
‘And what a terribly hurtful thing for this “Auntie Gladys” to say, “I hope he died in agony”.’
‘Uncle Dick’s’ other daughter, an 80-year-old living in Sussex, similarly denied there could be any truth to the claims. Her daughter, a 51-yearold lawyer, added: ‘Obviously we totally refute these allegations.
‘Nothing like this has ever been raised in the entire lifetime of my mother or her sister. It is utter rubbish. We have never even heard any rumours, let alone allegations.
‘We are very upset that nobody bothered to contact the family before these allegations were printed.’
The granddaughter said the family were considering legal action, but did not clarify on what grounds. In English law it is impossible to libel the dead.