AS MORE evidence of the sex offences committed by the late Sir Jimmy Savile come to light it is important the focus of investigations remains on the living rather than the dead.

As the police commander spearheading the Savile inquiry made clear yesterday, the former television and radio presenter was a predatory sex offender with a predilection for under-age girls. His offences took place across four decades and in all parts of the UK.

But the man is dead. He cannot be brought to justice.

While Savile escaped justice while he was alive, those who helped him or joined in with his offences must not.

The police must concentrate their investigations on these people.

At the same time, the numerous TV and radio personalities who have crawled out of the woodwork in recent days to say they were aware of Savile’s offences need to take a long, hard look at themselves.

Savile should have been exposed and should have gone to jail.

His victims were abused by him and then failed by the authorities, the BBC, the media and all those so-called stars who knewwhat was going on but did not do anything about it.

Those he abused can at long last be believed. It is good to see the NSPCC playing a lead role with the police in this inquiry, ensuring these women now get the help they should have had many years ago and that lessons are learned for the future.