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| Rolf Harris 'hid demon under charming exterior' | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Veteran entertainer Rolf Harris was a "pervert" who hid a demon under his "charming exterior", a court has heard. | |
| In her closing speech at the 84-year-old's trial, prosecutor Sasha Wass QC said Mr Harris had targeted young fans "mesmerised by his fame and talents". | |
| She said the entertainer was "arrogant and brazen" and had "treated women and young girls as sexual objects to be groped and mauled as he felt like". | |
| Mr Harris denies 12 indecent assaults on four alleged victims over 18 years. | |
| 'Untouchable' | |
| The charges relate to the period between 1968 and 1986. | |
| Ms Wass told the jury at Southwark Crown Court that Mr Harris had shown a pattern of "deviant sexual behaviour" towards victims who had no reason to invent their claims. | |
| He must now answer for his actions, she said. | |
| "You can't buy... you can't bully... and you certainly can't sing your way out of a criminal charge," she said. | "You can't buy... you can't bully... and you certainly can't sing your way out of a criminal charge," she said. |
| Ms Wass said the investigation into the entertainer had been sparked by allegations by a friend of his daughter, who said she had been abused over 16 years. | |
| She had finally gone to police in November 2012, 34 years after the first alleged instance of abuse. | She had finally gone to police in November 2012, 34 years after the first alleged instance of abuse. |
| "And so began the investigation into the seemingly untouchable, world-famous children's entertainer," said Ms Wass. | "And so began the investigation into the seemingly untouchable, world-famous children's entertainer," said Ms Wass. |
| Vulnerable | Vulnerable |
| "Thereafter police investigations uncovered more and more women who felt able to come forward and describe what Rolf Harris had done to them when they were young and vulnerable and impressionable. | "Thereafter police investigations uncovered more and more women who felt able to come forward and describe what Rolf Harris had done to them when they were young and vulnerable and impressionable. |
| "Each woman, unknown to the others, describes a similar pattern of deviant sexual behaviour. | "Each woman, unknown to the others, describes a similar pattern of deviant sexual behaviour. |
| "The chances of any of them making up such similar accusations in the absence of knowing each other is absurd," Ms Wass told the court. | "The chances of any of them making up such similar accusations in the absence of knowing each other is absurd," Ms Wass told the court. |
| "This trial has given these victims an opportunity to be heard for the first time. | "This trial has given these victims an opportunity to be heard for the first time. |
| "And the prosecution says that none of the victims has any motive for inventing a false account." | "And the prosecution says that none of the victims has any motive for inventing a false account." |
| Ms Wass said the complainants had been "beguiled" by Mr Harris's singing and painting. | |
| "And the penalty of their admiration was to suffer sexual assault," she said. | |
| The case continues. |