The BBC has issued a new statement in regard to the allegations against an unnamed presenter who allegedly paid tens of thousands to a teenager for sexually explicit images.
Director-general Tim Davie ordered a review to "assess how some complaints are red flagged up the organisation". The corporation said it made two attempts over several weeks to contact the family who made the claim.
It added that Mr Davie was first informed of the allegations seven weeks after the family first complained about the presenter - when The Sun said it would be publishing the story on its front page. Mr Davie told reporters this was because there was no response to the attempt to make contact and investigators were unable to verify the claims.
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The corporation has also been asked to hold its internal investigation "while the police scope future work" following a meeting with the Metropolitan Police.
A statement from the broadcaster said: “As a result of this meeting, the BBC has been asked to pause its investigations into the allegations while the police scope future work.”
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It added: “The BBC has processes and protocols for receiving information and managing complaints when they are first made. We always take these matters extremely seriously and seek to manage them with the appropriate duty of care. The events of recent days have shown how complex and challenging these kinds of cases can be and how vital it is that they are handled with the utmost diligence and care.
“There will, of course, be lessons to be learned following this exercise.”
Speaking at a press conference about the BBC’s annual report, Mr Davie said: “Of course there will be lessons to be learned, and how processes could be improved. Immediately I have asked that we assess how some complaints are red flagged up the organisation.
“We will take time to properly review the current protocols and procedures to ensure they remain sufficient based on anything we learn from this case.”
Explaining why no contact was made with the complainant for more than a month, Mr Davie said “thousands” of complaints are made and it is “appropriate” there is a verification process.
He said: “Some verification of that claim is appropriate once the Corporate Investigations team has taken something on, they do some due diligence on what is being alleged. Because if we work this through, you’d be in a situation where anyone can ring anything in and you’re taking that straight to presenters or whatever and having that duty of care issue there and a whole load of issues.”
He added: “Even in the circumstances where we didn’t have the level of verification we wanted or needed, I do think it is a fair question to review the red flagging process.” Asked if he has personally spoken to the presenter, Mr Davie said he had not.
When asked if the presenter offered to resign, Mr Davie said: “I wouldn’t comment on a private conversation, I think that is in terms of privacy for an individual, I don’t think that’s right.” Discussing what support the BBC is offering for the presenter and if he is concerned about the impact if they are cleared of any wrongdoing, he added: “Duty of care is a very significant factor in this.
“If you look at the enormity of the coverage and everything that is going on, I am very sensitive to it.
“I think duty of care in these types of affairs is critical and also that goes beyond those people at the centre of the drama.
“I can’t give you specific details of individuals and duty of care packages, what I can say is the BBC I think is excellent at making sure we are offering the right support, we have really good professional teams that do that and it’s one of the highest priorities as we move through this affair.”
