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Savile abuse: 'I can only say that I saw him do good'

Sylvia Nicol worked for 40 years at Stoke Mandeville Hospital Trust. Mrs Nicol said knew Jimmy Savile from the early 1970s, liked him and 'can't change her mind' about him.

Sylvia Nicol worked for 40 years at the Stoke Mandeville Hospital Trust, she was a trustee and worked for many years as a medical secretary in the spinal unit.

Mrs Nicol said knew Jimmy Savile from the early 1970s, liked him and 'can't change her mind' about him:

"I'm not denying anything took place, it's not my business to know, I can only know, what I know, can’t I. I can only know that I saw a man that put hours and hours and hours of work into rebuilding a spinal centre, into helping spinal people and other people throughout this country, and I can't change my mind on that."

"I can only say that I saw him do good. I can't be a judge or jury on anything else, can I, and I don’t want to be," Mrs Nicol added.

A new independent report found Jimmy Savile abused 63 people connected to Stoke Mandeville Hospital, but one formal complaint was ignored.

It found Savile's reputation as a "sex pest" was an "open secret" among some staff - but allegations probably did not reach managers. The formal complaint - made in 1977 by a victim's father - should have been reported to police, it added.

A separate report said "elements of the Savile story" could happen again.

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