I have perceived this as the media sensationalising someone high profile to boost viewing/reader numbers. Then others jumping on the bandwagon to promote their own exposure or fame
To look at it from one perspective.
Throughout time the has been exploitation in varying degree's, slavery, serfdom, child labour, etc, etc. As this has been recognised as unacceptable, society has sought to correct this. At some point in time our society set an age limit on sexual consent and implemented laws to protect from exploitation. The problem is that this is not consistent across all societies and there has been a culture of overlooking infringement, in certain instances.
In this instance it is young girls caught up in the celebrity lime light and their vulnerability exploited. What happend back in the sixties and seventies you could say was overlooked and deemed as normal and acceptable. The eighties and nineties did see a change in opinion and was more rigorously pursued and exposed. So did this individual carry on with his "exploits" throughout this later period. This would appear , so far, not to be the case.
In very recent times OUR respective protective agencies have "overlooked" the exploitation of vulnerable, under aged, individuals here in Rochdale and in South Yorkshire. These oversight's being carried out for more insidious reasons than a celebrities position or fund raising. (and there is more of this yet to come out). In this instance should those agencies, and the individuals involved, be vilified and considered for prosecution as are the controllers of the media at the time.
OR as is usual would a review and change in procedures with better training be implemented

Is it right that we are informed and allowed form our own opinions?, YES, and should never be stopped
Is it right for the law to be ignored for certain individuals or creeds? NO, NO, NO and one more time NO
As a footnote these would be UK law's brought about with the consensus of UK society and not one's imposed on us by other societies
