Jimmy Savile investigation: More than 100 ex-Duncroft pupils questioned

Detectives said they had recorded 214 sexual offences - including 34 rapes - against Savile's name

More than 100 former pupils at a school in Surrey where Jimmy Savile abused girls have been interviewed by police.

Surrey Police said officers questioned the women, who were at Duncroft Approved School in Staines in the 1970s, as part of its investigation.

A total of 214 sex offences have been recorded against Savile across the UK.

Surrey Police said it was looking into the scale of Savile's abuse at the school, which shut in the 1980s, and if anyone else knew about it at the time.

Det Supt Jon Savell said they were looking at "what could have been done to prevent that at the time and what we might be facing in terms of who's committed some criminal offences".

'No-one believed us'

Since Operation Yewtree began, allegations of abuse have been referred back to the relevant police forces to investigate locally.

Surrey Police said its own investigation Operation Outreach involved only allegations relating to the Duncroft school.

Savile, who died in 2011 aged 84, was a Radio 1 DJ and the presenter of the Jim'll Fix It show on BBC One.

A woman who was at Duncroft school in the 1970s said Savile's behaviour was reported to both the school and the police "but no-one believed us"

Last October, the ITV documentary Exposure: The Other Side Of Jimmy Savile featured the accounts of five women who said they had been assaulted by Savile.

The allegations prompted a joint investigation by children's charity the NSPCC and the Metropolitan Police into claims the late presenter had sexually abused women, girls and boys.

Detectives later said they had recorded 214 sexual offences - including 34 rapes - against Savile's name. They said the offences took place throughout the UK between 1955 and 2009.

The peak of Savile's offending was between 1966 and 1976, when he was aged between 40 and 50.

A woman who was at Duncroft school in the 1970s said Savile's behaviour was reported to both the school and the police "but no-one believed us".

In May 2007, a former resident of Duncroft told Surrey Police she had seen the DJ assault a fellow pupil.

The force tracked down the victim who reluctantly confirmed the allegation but asked for the police not to take any further action.

Surrey Police then contacted 21 other pupils from the same year group and two further victims were identified. However, police found victims reluctant to help a prosecution.

No arrests

The force interviewed Savile, who denied the allegations. The Crown Prosecution Service concluded there was insufficient evidence.

Det Supt Savell said: "We've reported heavily on what we did at the time, it's been accepted that actually there was more that could have been done and it's now looking forward about the seminal change in the way the police and the Crown Prosecution Service act and react and respond to reports of sexual assault."

He said the force had seen an increase of about 25% in reports on "non-recent" sexual assault since last October.

In a statement referring to the investigation at Duncroft Approved School, Surrey Police said: "Whilst a number of individuals have been spoken to, no arrests have been made at this time, and inquiries continue.

"It is anticipated that at the conclusion of these inquiries, a file will be submitted to the CPS for their consideration and advice."