Rolf Harris indecent assault trial due to start

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/may/09/rolf-harris-indecent-assault-trial-start

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Rolf Harris, the 84-year-old entertainer, musician and artist, goes on trial on Friday over a series of alleged indecent assaults dating back almost half a century.

Australian-born Harris, who has been based in the UK for more than 60 years, denies 12 counts of indecent assault against four girls and women, the youngest aged between seven and eight, and the oldest 19, between 1968 and 1986.

On Thursday, a jury of six men and six women were sworn in at Southwark crown court in south London, along with three extra jurors, in case there were any issues that prevented the existing jurors hearing the case. Potential jurors were asked by the trial judge, Mr Justice Sweeney, to exclude themselves if they were likely to be in contact with close friends or family in Australia or New Zealand during the case, as some of the evidence was connected to those countries. He also warned them against researching the trial personally, or being influenced by media coverage.

The prosecution case opens on Friday, with the trial scheduled to last up to seven weeks.

Harris, who lives in Bray, Berkshire, was raised in Western Australia before moving to the UK, where he forged a career taking in television, music and art. Much of his career has been based around introducing young viewers to art or interpreting a broad version of Australian culture for an overseas audience, as with his trademark pop hit, Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport.

He is also an artist and painted a portrait of the Queen in 2005.