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| Rolf Harris trial: Entertainer 'assaulted friend of daughter' | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Rolf Harris groomed and molested a friend of his daughter from the age of 13 onwards, a court has heard. | |
| The children's entertainer is accused of indecently assaulting her and three other girls between 1968 and 1986. | |
| Mr Harris, 84, denies all 12 charges. Outlining its case at Southwark Crown Court, the prosecution described him as a "Jekyll and Hyde" character. | |
| His alleged victims were aged between seven or eight and 19 when the offences are said to have taken place. | His alleged victims were aged between seven or eight and 19 when the offences are said to have taken place. |
| The court heard how one alleged victim, who lived nearby in south London in the 1960s, was abused while on holiday with the Harris family. | |
| Prosecuting, Sasha Wass QC told the court the assaults continued "when the opportunity arose" and by the time she was 14 the girl was relying on drink to cope. | |
| 'Exploited children' | |
| The jury was shown a school report which said the alleged victim had become "prone to tears and has been weeping about private/home matters". | |
| Ms Wass told the court: "The prosecution does not, for a minute, suggest that there is not a good, talented and kind side to Mr Harris. | |
| "But concealed behind this charming and amicable children's entertainer lay a man who exploited the very children who were drawn to him." | |
| She added there was "a side of him which is sexually attracted to children and under-age girls" and that while working on television in Australia he was known as the "Octopus" because of the way he would put his hands on children. | |
| Mr Harris's daughter, Bindi, and his wife, Alwen Hughes, were at his side as he arrived at court. | |
| He entered a not guilty plea at a hearing in January. | He entered a not guilty plea at a hearing in January. |
| Earlier, one of the jurors was dismissed. | |