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| Rolf Harris trial: Entertainer in witness box to deny abusing girl | Rolf Harris trial: Entertainer in witness box to deny abusing girl |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| TV entertainer Rolf Harris has denied abusing a friend of his daughter as he began giving evidence at his trial for alleged indecent assaults. | TV entertainer Rolf Harris has denied abusing a friend of his daughter as he began giving evidence at his trial for alleged indecent assaults. |
| Mr Harris told Southwark Crown Court he is a "touchy feely sort of person" but disputed the claims made by the woman. | Mr Harris told Southwark Crown Court he is a "touchy feely sort of person" but disputed the claims made by the woman. |
| He said a claim he performed a sex act on her when a teenager was "ludicrous" and said he felt "guilt" over an affair they had when she was an adult. | He said a claim he performed a sex act on her when a teenager was "ludicrous" and said he felt "guilt" over an affair they had when she was an adult. |
| The 84-year-old denies 12 indecent assaults between 1968 and 1986. | The 84-year-old denies 12 indecent assaults between 1968 and 1986. |
| Asked about an allegation he assaulted the girl after she came out of the shower while on holiday in 1978 when she was 13, Mr Harris said: "Nope, didn't happen." | Asked about an allegation he assaulted the girl after she came out of the shower while on holiday in 1978 when she was 13, Mr Harris said: "Nope, didn't happen." |
| He also denied claims she was abused after she had been swimming in the sea and later in the holiday, while she was lying in a bunk bed. | He also denied claims she was abused after she had been swimming in the sea and later in the holiday, while she was lying in a bunk bed. |
| 'Very embarrassing' | 'Very embarrassing' |
| Mr Harris told the jury how on a later occasion when she was an adult, during another visit to his family home, he had taken a cup of tea to her in the morning. | Mr Harris told the jury how on a later occasion when she was an adult, during another visit to his family home, he had taken a cup of tea to her in the morning. |
| He said she "kicked the duvet off the bed" revealing her bare legs. | He said she "kicked the duvet off the bed" revealing her bare legs. |
| Mr Harris said she became "flirtatious" with him, saying: "It was a very flattering feeling for this young lady to be showing an interest in me." | Mr Harris said she became "flirtatious" with him, saying: "It was a very flattering feeling for this young lady to be showing an interest in me." |
| In court | In court |
| Sarah Falkland, BBC News | Sarah Falkland, BBC News |
| The huge theatricality of Rolf Harris is dominating courtroom number two at Southwark Crown Court. | The huge theatricality of Rolf Harris is dominating courtroom number two at Southwark Crown Court. |
| The veteran entertainer has only been on the witness stand for about an hour but already he has tried to lighten the tone of his own trial, even bringing a smile to the lips of some of the jurors. | The veteran entertainer has only been on the witness stand for about an hour but already he has tried to lighten the tone of his own trial, even bringing a smile to the lips of some of the jurors. |
| The man the prosecution say groped a string of girls has been in the witness box to demonstrate how he invented his famous wobble board and slapped paint on to a canvas. | The man the prosecution say groped a string of girls has been in the witness box to demonstrate how he invented his famous wobble board and slapped paint on to a canvas. |
| The 84-year-old entertainer, dressed in a pinstripe suit and purple tie, performed something of a dramatic monologue for the court - as he recalled what he remembered was a "disastrous" audition for the BBC back in the 1960s. | The 84-year-old entertainer, dressed in a pinstripe suit and purple tie, performed something of a dramatic monologue for the court - as he recalled what he remembered was a "disastrous" audition for the BBC back in the 1960s. |
| He told the court that the producer auditioning him was dictating a letter to his secretary simultaneously - and mimicked his clipped upper class accent. | He told the court that the producer auditioning him was dictating a letter to his secretary simultaneously - and mimicked his clipped upper class accent. |
| Mr Harris told the jury he touched the outside of her leg, saying: "I can remember my heart was thumping away like mad. I didn't know what to do, I left the room." | |
| Asked if he would have touched her leg if he had not been invited to do so, Mr Harris said: "No". | Asked if he would have touched her leg if he had not been invited to do so, Mr Harris said: "No". |
| He added: "I find it very hard to discuss this. It's very embarrassing." | He added: "I find it very hard to discuss this. It's very embarrassing." |
| "It's just a married man, a much younger girl, I shouldn't have been doing it." | "It's just a married man, a much younger girl, I shouldn't have been doing it." |
| On her next visit, however, he described how he had again taken a cup of tea to the bedroom she was staying in. | On her next visit, however, he described how he had again taken a cup of tea to the bedroom she was staying in. |
| "I think it was just an excuse, It stayed untouched on the bedside table. There were some whispered nothings between us, I think I kissed her and there was some foreplay." | "I think it was just an excuse, It stayed untouched on the bedside table. There were some whispered nothings between us, I think I kissed her and there was some foreplay." |
| He said he then performed a sex act on her, but said it was consensual. | He said he then performed a sex act on her, but said it was consensual. |
| Asked how he felt when he started the relationship, Mr Harris said: "Illicit and a guilty feeling". | Asked how he felt when he started the relationship, Mr Harris said: "Illicit and a guilty feeling". |
| Mr Harris said there were "further" sexual encounters" between them, but added: "She seemed to be welcoming the whole business and enjoying it." | Mr Harris said there were "further" sexual encounters" between them, but added: "She seemed to be welcoming the whole business and enjoying it." |
| He said the relationship later "ground to a halt". | He said the relationship later "ground to a halt". |
| Mr Harris said he later met the alleged victim at a pub, where she asked for £25,000 for an animal sanctuary and threatened to go to the newspapers about their affair when he refused. | Mr Harris said he later met the alleged victim at a pub, where she asked for £25,000 for an animal sanctuary and threatened to go to the newspapers about their affair when he refused. |
| He told the jury: "It ended in a very acrimonious way." | He told the jury: "It ended in a very acrimonious way." |
| The alleged victim is the subject of seven of the 12 charges Mr Harris faces, including six alleged assaults when she was aged 16 or under. | The alleged victim is the subject of seven of the 12 charges Mr Harris faces, including six alleged assaults when she was aged 16 or under. |
| Jake the Peg | Jake the Peg |
| At the start of his evidence, Mr Harris outlined his early life in Australia, saying he had been a talented swimmer as a teenager. | At the start of his evidence, Mr Harris outlined his early life in Australia, saying he had been a talented swimmer as a teenager. |
| He said he then started teaching but became unwell after picking up an infection while swimming in a river and became "totally paralysed". | He said he then started teaching but became unwell after picking up an infection while swimming in a river and became "totally paralysed". |
| It was while he was recovering from the illness in hospital that he decided to pursue a career in painting and moved to London to study in March 1952, arriving when he was 22. | It was while he was recovering from the illness in hospital that he decided to pursue a career in painting and moved to London to study in March 1952, arriving when he was 22. |
| The entertainer said he got his break in television in 1953, despite an "appalling" audition. | The entertainer said he got his break in television in 1953, despite an "appalling" audition. |
| Mr Harris was given a five minute slot on a programme called Jigsaw, the jury was told, before he was "signed up" by the BBC in 1954. | Mr Harris was given a five minute slot on a programme called Jigsaw, the jury was told, before he was "signed up" by the BBC in 1954. |
| He was asked about his musical background, telling the jury he had invented the wobble board instrument in 1959 while coating a portrait painted on a piece of hardboard with turpentine. | He was asked about his musical background, telling the jury he had invented the wobble board instrument in 1959 while coating a portrait painted on a piece of hardboard with turpentine. |
| Mr Harris also gave details of his musical recordings, singing a section of his song Jake the Peg to the jury and demonstrating the sounds made by a didgeridoo and wobble board. | Mr Harris also gave details of his musical recordings, singing a section of his song Jake the Peg to the jury and demonstrating the sounds made by a didgeridoo and wobble board. |