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The BBC has released its own timeline of events over the allegations one of its presenters paid a teenager for sexually explicit photographs.

The broadcaster says it first received a complaint via a family member of the teenager in May and that it was immediately referred to its internal investigations team.

The corporation says it did not information its presenter for seven weeks about the claims.

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It also says it has paused its own investigation at the request of the Metropolitan Police yesterday while officers “scope future work” related to the complaint.

It comes as the BBC’s director-general Tim Davie faced the media today as the controversy deepens.

Here’s the BBC’s timeline of events:

18 May

The complainant (a family member) visits a BBC building in an attempt to make a complaint about the behaviour of a BBC presenter

19 May

The same complainant contacts BBC Audience Services and the details are referred to the BBC’s Corporate Investigations Team. The team asses the information.

The assessment made is that – on the basis of the information provided – the complaint does not include an allegation of criminality, but nonetheless merits further investigation.

On the same day, the investigation team emails the complainant stating how seriously the BBC takes the issue and seeks additional information to verify the claims being made.

The BBC says its team receives no response to this email and that checks are also made to verify the identity of the complainant, something it describes as standard procedure.

6 June

A phone call is made by the investigations team to the mobile number provided by the complainant, but the call does not connect.

No additional attempts to contact the complainant are made after 6 June, however the case remains open throughout.

6 July

The Sun newspaper contacts the BBC via the Corporate Press Office of allegations concerning the BBC presenter.

The BBC says it becomes clear at this point that the source of the claims is the same family as approached by the BBC on 18 and 19 May.

This is the first time that the Director General or any executive directors at the BBC are aware of the case.

The BBC says the claims made by The Sun contain new allegations that are different to the matters being considered by the BBC Corporate Investigations team.

A BBC incident management group, involving senior BBC executives and the Director General, is launched to lead the response to the claims and the acting chairman is updated.

A senior manager holds the first conversation with the presenter to make him aware of the claims being outlined by The Sun, and it is agreed that the presenter remains off air while the matter is considered.

7 July

The BBC’s Corporate Investigations team contacts the complainant again.

A BBC’s Serious Case Management Framework (SCMF) is initiated and the investigation being undertaken by the Corporate Investigations Team is brought into the SCMF, which is chaired by a Human Resources Director.

The BBC also makes contact with the Metropolitan Police in regard to the matter.

8-9 July

The complainant sends the BBC some material related to the complaint.

The BBC issues an update to staff and the media and confirms it has suspended the presenter.

10 July

The BBC meets with the Metropolitan Police to report the matter and discuss how to progress the investigation.

The force requests that the BBC pauses its investigations into the allegations while they scope future work.

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Tomorrowland: ‘Devastating’ blaze destroys main stage at major festival – two days before it was due to begin

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Tomorrowland: 'Devastating' blaze destroys main stage at major festival - two days before it was due to begin

A huge fire has destroyed the main stage of a major festival in Belgium – two days before it was due to begin.

Tomorrowland is a dance music event as big as Glastonbury – and David Guetta was due to perform.

Footage showed flames and thick plumes of black smoke engulfing the stage and spreading to nearby woodland on Wednesday.

fire destroyed the main stage at the Tomorrowland festival site in Belgium
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The fire gutted the main stage


 fire which destroyed the main stage at the Tomorrowland festival site in Belgium
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Fire crews attempt to bring the blaze under control

The annual festival in the town of Boom, north of Brussels, is one of the biggest in Europe and attracts about 400,000 people over two consecutive weekends.

It is famous for its immersive and elaborate designs and attracts big names within dance music – including Guetta, best known for tracks When Love Takes Over and Titanium.

Dutch DJs Martin Garrix and Charlotte de Witte were also due to perform, along with the likes of Swedish House Mafia, Eric Prydz and Alok.

A fire destroyed the main stage at the Tomorrowland festival site in Belgium
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Black smoke could be seen rising into the sky


The festival’s website described the creative elements which went into the elaborate main stage.

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The theme, described as Orbyz, was “set in a magical universe made entirely out of ice” and “full of mythical creatures”.

Read more from Sky News:
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Organisers said no one was injured in the blaze but confirmed “our beloved main stage has been severely damaged”, adding they were “devastated”.

Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen added: “We received some truly terrible news today. A fire broke out on the Tomorrowland site … and our main stage was essentially destroyed there, which is truly awful.

“That’s a stage that took years to build, with so much love and passion. So I think a lot of people are devastated.”

Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen who said fire destroyed the main stage at the Tomorrowland festival site in Belgium
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Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen told reporters ‘a lot of people are devastated’

Despite the fire, Tomorrowland organisers said they were still expecting 38,000 festivalgoers at DreamVille, the event’s campsite.

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Robin Kaye: American Idol TV executive and her husband shot dead inside their Los Angeles home

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Robin Kaye: American Idol TV executive and her husband shot dead inside their Los Angeles home

An American Idol TV executive and her husband have been found dead in their LA home.

Robin Kaye was a music supervisor on the long-running reality TV series.

The bodies of the 70-year-old and her husband Thomas were discovered after officers conducted a welfare check at their home.

Both had died from gunshot wounds.

Robin Kaye and her husband Thomas. Pic: Facebook
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Robin Kaye and her husband Thomas. Pic: Facebook

Detectives say Raymond Boodarian has been arrested in connection with their deaths.

It is alleged the 22-year-old had burgled their property while they were away on 10 July – killing the couple upon their return.

According to Los Angeles Police, there were “no signs of forced entry or trouble” at the property.

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Ms Kaye was an industry veteran – and had previously worked on shows including Lip Sync Battle and The Singing Bee, as well as several Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants.

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Pic: ABC7 Los Angeles
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Pic: ABC7 Los Angeles

In a statement, an American Idol spokesperson said: “Robin has been a cornerstone of the Idol family since 2009 and was truly loved and respected by all who came in contact with her.

“Robin will remain in our hearts forever and we share our deepest sympathy with her family and friends during this difficult time.”

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Action taken to stop ticketless Oasis fans from watching this week’s shows in Manchester

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Action taken to stop ticketless Oasis fans from watching this week's shows in Manchester

Huge steel fences have been erected to prevent ticketless fans from watching the Oasis reunion tour in Manchester.

Liam and Noel Gallagher will resume their sold-out run of shows – their first since 2009 – with a performance at Heaton Park tonight, and two more on Saturday and Sunday.

While tens of thousands bought tickets for Oasis’s first two shows last weekend, crowds gathered to glimpse the large screens above the stage in the distance – in an area dubbed “Gallagher Hill” by some on social media.

People walk past a temporary security fence erected ahead of concerts by Oasis in Heaton Park on 1 July. File pic: Reuters
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People walk past a temporary security fence erected ahead of concerts by Oasis in Heaton Park on 1 July. Reuters file pic

Manchester City Council has now said more steel fences have been erected around parts of the park to prevent ticketless fans from watching the gigs, and to protect nature in the park.

“After taking stock of how the first two nights went, additional measures have now been deemed necessary and will be in place for the next three concerts,” it said.

“The erection of the fencing has a dual purpose – both to protect the environment from further damage and to dissuade people from gathering there.

“The necessary measure means the concert will no longer be visible from this area.”

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Friday: Excited fans at Oasis homecoming gig

The fences will cover a large area of the hill within the park’s cattle field, which is being developed as a new woodland area with around 300 young trees planted.

The council added that there would be no facilities for people without a ticket, and said the event area is “double-walled with solid high security fencing all the way round”.

More than 2,000 event security staff and police officers will also be on duty around the site “to ensure both the safety and wellbeing of ticket-holders and that only those who have tickets access the concert”, it said.

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John Hacking, the council’s executive member for employment, skills and leisure, also said in a statement that “unfortunately our hand has been forced in having to put these additional measures in place”.

He added: “Our advice to music fans who don’t have tickets for the concerts is to head into the city centre instead.

“The whole city is going all out to celebrate and help everyone have a good time.

“We’ve got some fantastic things going on with a real party atmosphere for everyone to enjoy, whether they’ve got tickets for the Oasis gigs or not.”

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