THROUGHOUT his long decades of wickedness Jimmy Savile seems to have been able to do virtually as he liked.

This was despite many people in positions of authority being aware of his activities.

At any rate, they had absolutely no excuse for not being aware – we now know enough complaints had been made over the years from victims and witnesses.

Amazingly, as well as enjoying what he himself described as “ultimate” freedom at the BBC, he was granted privileged access to at least three other public institutions – Leeds General Infirmary, Broadmoor secure hospital and an approved school for girls in the South of England – and he took full advantage to commit further acts of unspeakable depravity.

It has been asked now that he is beyond the reach of human (though let us hope not divine) justice, what is the point of conducting an investigation?

The point is what has happened raises some pretty fundamental questions, not so much about Savile, but about the system and the people who allowed him to get away with it.

We need answers to those questions and we need them to be comprehensive and unsparing.

Tony Kelly, Crook.