Rolf Harris Found Guilty of Indecent Assaults

After an eight week trial at Southwark Crown Court, entertainer Rolf Harris has been found guilty of a string of indecent assaults, and faces prison on Friday.

Veteran entertainer Rolf Harris has been found guilty of 12 indecent sexual assaults on young girls in a period spanning 18 years, between 1968 and 1986, it has been revealed.

The victims – one of whom was aged just seven – included the 13 year old best friend of his daughter, Bindi Harris.

Sentencing Harris, prosecutors stated he was a “Jekyll and Hyde character” who used his “status and position” to manipulate and abuse the children.

The judge, Mr Justice Sweeney, said that a custodial term was “uppermost in the court’s mind”, but that they were awaiting a medical report first. Immediately after the guilty verdict, Harris’ wife, Alwen, and daughter, Bindi, were seen breaking down in tears in the corridor. Harris was granted bail at the hearing and as soon as he left Southwark Crown Court, was greeted by an abundance of photographers and reporters.

The 84 year old ironically carried out the sex offences at a time when he was leading an anti-child abuse campaign entitled ‘Kids Can Say No’, which warned children about the dangers of adults molesting them. Harris was filmed conversing with the seven and eight year old pupils discussing the dangers of strangers attempting to touch them.

Talks are in place to remove the veteran singer and artist of his royal honours, which include an OBE, MBE and a CBE. Additionally, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts said that it was revoking the fellowship that Harris was awarded two years ago.

It was also recently revealed that shortly before Harris painted an official portrait of the Queen in 2005, letters were sent by one of Harris’ victims to Buckingham Palace to inform the royal staff of his behaviour. However, the letters were not investigated until 2012, when Harris became a paedophile suspect after the revelations of the Jimmy Saville case.

Harris will be formally sentenced on Friday.