Dartford woman claims Jimmy Savile molested her (From This Is Local London)

Dartford mother Deborah Cogger claims Jimmy Savile molested her at Duncroft Approved School for Girls

9:09am Wednesday 10th October 2012 in News By Kelly Smale

"TAKE no notice it's Jimmy's way, he loves you girls".

That was the reaction of staff when 14-year-old Deborah Cogger complained that Jimmy Savile had molested her in a children's home for troubled youngsters.

The 52-year-old has broken her 38-year silence following an ITV Exposure documentary on the Sir Jimmy Savile sexual abuse allegations.

Ms Cogger stayed at Duncroft Approved School for Girls in Surrey from 1973 to 1976 and met Savile during his regular visits as patron of the school.

She told News Shopper: "It was awful, it wasn't home. It was dark and bleak and it was hard work. We felt abandoned.

"He used to come periodically. There was always chit-chat between the girls that he would touch you if he had a chance."

Ms Cogger, who runs Deb's Diner in Northfleet, added: "There were people who were star struck and didn't have families and he was a celebrity and a famous man.

"He was charismatic and they got drawn into it.

"I hadn't been there very long when I met him the first time."

The mother-of-two says Savile had lunch with the girls before getting out a record player.

She said: "He was sitting a few feet away from me talking to someone else - someone was on his lap.

"He moved seats and sat behind where I was standing.

"As I turned round he put his arm round my waist and pulled me in a tango style and put his tongue straight down my throat."

Ms Cogger, from Dartford, claims when she told staff they said: "Take no notice it's Jimmy's way, he loves you girls".

She said: "The third time he visited he came in the dining room and was in the company of a couple of other girls.

"He came up to me and waved his arms in the way that he did and aimed them at my chest and said 'My you've grown'.

"He touched my chest and I backed off quickly.

"After that when he came I never ever sat with him. I sat in my dormitory with other girls."

Ms Cogger says complaining about Savile would lead to privileges being taken away such as cigarettes and the TV.

She said: "The worst one was being put in a padded cell until you kept quiet."

Ms Cogger claims the abuse gave her "an absolute hatred for anyone in authority" including social services and the police.

She told News Shopper: "I can't deal with these people. I get myself in a state.

"They can't be trusted because we were all ignored and left there in that rotten place.

"I told my friends at the time and my social worker but they didn't believe me. It's terrible."

She added: "It's only now people are starting to listen. It's not like we haven't spoke about it before.

"I tried to contact the papers years ago but they didn't want to know.

"It beggars belief that they put you in a place of safety and this can happen.

"The homes were easy for him, it was like candy in a sweet shop."

Ms Cogger says she wants the local authority to apologise for what happened.

She said: "The main thing to come out of this is closure because people can actually admit this happened and apologise.

"I'm doing this to be heard and to give other victims the courage to come forward."