Jimmy Savile and the Broadmoor 'child porn ring'
Among the many alarming claims that surfaced after the posthumous exposure of Jimmy Savile was the allegation that there had been a child pornography ring run by inmates of Broadmoor, the high-security psychiatric hospital. Since Savile had very close connections with the institution between 1968 and 2004, the indication was that he was part of this ring or knew about it and did not intervene.
These allegations had some foundation in the official record, since the Health Secretary had received reports of such activity taking place at the hospital. But did they have any foundation in reality?
All that the public was ever told was as follows:
1.20.1 During February 1997 the then Secretary of State for Health, The Rt Hon Stephen. Dorrell MP was alerted to concerns expressed by staff associations about the security of Broadmoor Hospital, the alleged undue influence of the Patients' Council and the quality of patient care. There were allegations of drugs finds and a possible child pornography ring. Mr Dorrell ordered an External Management Review of the Hospital to investigate the truth or otherwise of the allegations. The Review, led by a senior official from the Anglia and Oxford Regional Office of the NHS Executive, took place in March 1997.
1.20.2 The Review team demonstrated that most of the allegations made so vociferously in the media were unfounded [...]
(Emphases supplied)
So, what was in that review's unpublished report?
Above: FOI response from the Department of Health
(Two pages, original request included in response text)
(Two pages, original request included in response text)