BBc admits it ignored six abuse complaints about DJ Westwood
The BBC has said it received six complaints about former Radio 1 presenter Tim Westwood.
Previously, the corporation had said it could find ‘no evidence of complaints’.
But yesterday it emerged that one ‘historical’ complaint made against the hip-hop DJ had been referred to the police by the broadcaster.
Mr Westwood, 64, who was a presenter at the BBC for nearly 20 years, quit his Capital Xtra show in April in the wake of sexual misconduct allegations.
This came amid allegations he had used his position in the music industry to take advantage of seven women in their late teens and early 20s. he has ‘strongly’ denied any wrongdoing.
When the allegations surfaced in April, following an investigation by BBC News and The Guardian, the corporation’s director-general Tim Davie told an industry event he had seen no evidence of complaints.
he had told the Voice of the Listener & Viewer (VLV) spring 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 that there was at least one reference in its files to the conduct of Mr Westwood, with the broadcaster now revealing a complaint against him had been referred to the police.
he was also spoken to about another complaint. According to BBC News the corporation is currently ‘not aware’ of what further action was taken, but was now looking into this.
he worked at Radio 1 and Radio 1Xtra from 1994 to 2013.
The BBC yesterday declined to clarify how many of the complaints came in after Mr Davie’s remarks at the conference. But the corporation insisted that Mr Davie spoke in good faith when he said in April he had seen no evidence.
The latest news of complaints came to light after one of the BBC’s own journalists challenged the corporation’s handling of a
‘We’re establishing facts around case’
Freedom of Information request on the subject. As a result the corporation provided the reporter with new information.
Yesterday the BBC addressed questions about the previous communication with the police.
A spokesman said: ‘This is an historic case that the BBC has found in its files. We are establishing the facts around it. It 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.’
It is understood the six complaints are made up of what the BBC has unearthed in its files and people that have contacted the broadcaster since Mr Davie said he had seen no evidence.
The director-general had called on people to come forward if they had information when he spoke at the event.
he told the VLV conference: ‘If people have evidence where things weren’t followed up, or they have concerns in this area, bring it to us.’
Mr Davie held the post of director of audio and music at the BBC between 2008 and 2012 – which meant he was in charge of the broadcaster’s radio output, including Radio 1. The BBC has said the six complaints related to dates when he worked at the corporation and that some of these were about his behaviour outside of the broadcaster.
The BBC said it is investigating what happened ‘with great care’ and will confirm its findings in the future. A spokesman added: ‘We said we would take this seriously, and we are. When that work has concluded, we will say more.’
At the time, a representative said Westwood ‘strongly rejects all allegations of wrongdoing’ detailed in a BBC Three documentary titled Tim Westwood: Abuse Of Power.