Met Police confirms ‘contact’ with BBC over presenter allegations
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cotland Yard say detectives have been in touch with the BBC following allegations an unnamed presenter paid a young person for sexually specific photos.
The power continues to be deciding if any motion is to be taken with the broadcaster already confirming the star in query has been suspended and brought off air.
A Met Police spokesperson stated on Sunday: “The Met has received initial contact from the BBC in relation to this matter, but no formal referral or allegation has been made.
“We will require additional information before determining what further action should follow.”
According to The Sun, the unnamed BBC star paid a young person who was 17 when the payments started, and is now 20, £35,000 in exchange for sexual images.
An announcement from the company stated: “The BBC takes any allegations seriously and we have robust internal processes in place to proactively deal with such allegations.
“This is a complex and fast-moving set of circumstances and the BBC is working as quickly as possible to establish the facts in order to properly inform appropriate next steps.
“It is important that these matters are handled fairly and with care. We have been clear that if – at any point – new information comes to light or is provided to us, this will be acted upon appropriately and actively followed up.
“The BBC first became aware of a complaint in May. New allegations were put to us on Thursday of a different nature and in addition to our own enquiries we have also been in touch with external authorities, in line with our protocols.
“We can also confirm a male member of staff has been suspended. We expect to be in a position to provide a further update in the coming days as the process continues. The BBC Board will continue to be kept up to date.”
The sufferer’s household stated they complained to the BBC on May 19 along with her mom including that she noticed an image of the presenter on her baby’s cellphone the place he was “sitting on a sofa in his house in his underwear”, and said she was told it was “a picture from some kind of video call”.
Such was the ordeal that the sufferer’s mom alleged her baby had gone from “a happy-go-lucky youngster to a ghost-like crack addict” in three years.
The mom additionally claimed that earlier this yr she was shocked when she overheard the presenter “on the phone saying to my child: ‘I told you not to f*****g ring me’.”
A letter printed by the broadcaster from Mr Davie to employees, stated: “By law, individuals are entitled to a reasonable expectation of privacy, which is making this situation more complex. I also want to be very clear that I am wholly condemning the unsubstantiated rumours being made on the internet about some of our presenting talent.
“We are in contact with the family referenced in the media reports. I want to assure you that we are working rapidly to establish the facts and to ensure that these matters are handled fairly and with care, including by external authorities where appropriate.”
It got here as Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer held pressing talks with BBC director-general Tim Davie over the “deeply concerning” allegations first reported by The Sun.
Senior officers have advised the broadcaster that the allegations have to be investigated “urgently and sensitively”, with the Department of Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) to be stored up to date.
In a tweet after a cellphone name with the director-general, Ms Frazer stated: “I have spoken to BBC Director General Tim Davie about the deeply concerning allegations involving one of its presenters.
“He has assured me the BBC are investigating swiftly and sensitively.
“Given the nature of the allegations it is important that the BBC is now given the space to conduct its investigation, establish the facts and take appropriate action. I will be kept updated.”
Speaking to Sophy Ridge earlier on Sunday, shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves stated the allegations are “deeply concerning” and that the presenter shouldn’t have remained within the job whereas an investigation was underway.
“The BBC, but also other broadcasters, do need to get a grip because we seem to lurch from one scandal to another and more needs to be done,” the shadow chancellor stated.
“But when serious allegations are made like this, I don’t think it’s right that those people stay in those jobs whilst those very serious accusations go on.”