A property previously owned by convicted paedophile Jimmy Savile has reportedly suffered fire damage. Located in Glen Coe, Scotland, the property was slated for demolition following unsuccessful redevelopment attempts and years of vandalism. Emergency services were alerted around 5:30 PM on Saturday due to reports of a fire in one of the outbuildings, leading to the closure of the A82 in both directions. A Police Scotland spokesperson confirmed that emergency services responded and the fire was extinguished by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, with investigations ongoing to determine the full circumstances.
Savile purchased the whitewashed cottage, known as Allt Na Reigh, in 1998. Following his death in October 2011 at the age of 84, tributes were paid to the former Radio 1 host, who was well-known for his BBC shows Jim’ll Fix It and Top of the Pops, and was knighted by the Queen in 1990. However, shortly after his passing, a report by two Newsnight journalists investigating abuse allegations against him was cancelled for editorial reasons, just weeks before a Christmas tribute aired.
In 2012, an ITV documentary featured five women who claimed they were indecently assaulted by Savile during their school years in the late 1960s and 1970s. The Metropolitan Police launched Operation Yewtree in October 2012 to investigate allegations of abuse involving Savile and others, resulting in hundreds of alleged victims coming forward. A 2014 NSPCC study revealed that Savile had abused at least 500 individuals, with the youngest victim being just two years old.
A 2016 inquiry led by former High Court judge Dame Janet Smith found that at least 72 people were sexually abused by Savile in connection with his work at the BBC, including eight victims who were raped, with the youngest being only 10 years old. The inquiry determined that the abuse occurred from 1959 to 2006, with the majority of victims linked to Savile’s role on Top of the Pops. Savile is now regarded as one of Britain’s most prolific sex offenders, having died without ever facing justice. The property was auctioned in 2013 and was described as a “traditional refurbished detached cottage.