Cemetery bosses are beefing up security at Sir Jimmy Saville’s grave amid fears it will be the target for vigilante attacks following the sex abuse scandal.
The reputation of the dead Jim’ll Fix It star is in tatters after a series of public claims that he molested and raped girls as young as 12.
The documentary Exposure: The Other Side of Jimmy Savile due to be shown on Wednesday night contains interview with five women who claim they were subjected to sickening attacks from Savile at the height of his fame.
The allegations come after the £4,000, 6ft-wide, 4ft-high granite gravestone, was unveiled last month at Woodlands Cemetery in his favourite resort of Scarborough, North Yorks., by his nephew Roger Foster.
The DJ, TV presenter and charity fundraiser, who died last October aged 84 at his home in Leeds was buried in the town – with the gold coffin at a 45-degree angle so he could “see” the sea in the distance.
The triple headstone features engraved pictures of the presenter alongside the phrase “It was good while it lasted”, alongside descriptions of his achievements and awards.
The former Top Of The Pops presenter’s grave was made extra large to accommodate the legions of fans expected to make a pilgrimage to pay their respects at the site.
But days after a string of women came forward and accused the late DJ of sexual abuse and rape, cemetery chiefs fear the headstone could be targeted by vigilante groups.
A source at the cemetery said: “There was much fanfare and celebration when his headstone was unveiled, a lot of people worked very hard on it.
“Sadly, following the allegations in the press, it has been suggested that extra patrols are made to secure the cemetery from any possible reprisals.”
A street where he used to own a flat in the town has also been renamed Savile’s View.
One local resident said: “It’s only a matter of time before the street sign and, no doubt the grave, is daubed in graffiti by vandals who think they are, in some moronic way, getting their own back for alleged offences which he will never be able to refute.”
