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| Rolf Harris guilty of indecent assaults | Rolf Harris guilty of indecent assaults |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Veteran entertainer Rolf Harris has been found guilty of 12 counts of indecently assaulting four girls in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. | Veteran entertainer Rolf Harris has been found guilty of 12 counts of indecently assaulting four girls in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. |
| One of the victims was a childhood friend of his daughter, while another was aged seven or eight. | One of the victims was a childhood friend of his daughter, while another was aged seven or eight. |
| The court heard Harris, 84, was a "Jekyll and Hyde" character, who had a dark side to his personality. | The court heard Harris, 84, was a "Jekyll and Hyde" character, who had a dark side to his personality. |
| Prosecutors said he used his "status and position" to abuse his victims. He will be sentenced on Friday. | Prosecutors said he used his "status and position" to abuse his victims. He will be sentenced on Friday. |
| The judge, Mr Justice Sweeney, said a custodial term was "uppermost in the court's mind", but he wanted to see a medical report before sentencing. | The judge, Mr Justice Sweeney, said a custodial term was "uppermost in the court's mind", but he wanted to see a medical report before sentencing. |
| The central allegation concerned a friend of Harris's daughter, whom the court heard he groomed and molested from the age of 13 until she was 19. | The central allegation concerned a friend of Harris's daughter, whom the court heard he groomed and molested from the age of 13 until she was 19. |
| The other victims told the court they were touched or groped by Harris, sometimes at his public appearances. | The other victims told the court they were touched or groped by Harris, sometimes at his public appearances. |
| The Southwark Crown Court jury deliberated for 37 hours and 45 minutes before reaching their unanimous verdicts. | The Southwark Crown Court jury deliberated for 37 hours and 45 minutes before reaching their unanimous verdicts. |
| Harris was found guilty of all 12 charges he was prosecuted on. They were: | Harris was found guilty of all 12 charges he was prosecuted on. They were: |
| Three other women told the court about indecent assaults Harris had carried out against them in Australia, New Zealand and Malta. The entertainer was not prosecuted over those incidents but the evidence was introduced by the prosecution as an added illustration of his behaviour. | Three other women told the court about indecent assaults Harris had carried out against them in Australia, New Zealand and Malta. The entertainer was not prosecuted over those incidents but the evidence was introduced by the prosecution as an added illustration of his behaviour. |
| The charges against Harris | |
| In court | In court |
| Jane Peel, BBC News Correspondent | Jane Peel, BBC News Correspondent |
| The verdicts came just before 3pm, almost 38 hours into the jury's deliberations. | The verdicts came just before 3pm, almost 38 hours into the jury's deliberations. |
| Before they were delivered the judge, Mr Justice Sweeney, made it clear to all those inside court two - the journalists, the public, and the relatives of Rolf Harris - that he expected silence throughout the process. | Before they were delivered the judge, Mr Justice Sweeney, made it clear to all those inside court two - the journalists, the public, and the relatives of Rolf Harris - that he expected silence throughout the process. |
| Everyone took him at his word. There was barely a sound as the forewoman stood. | Everyone took him at his word. There was barely a sound as the forewoman stood. |
| Rolf Harris was allowed to remain seated in the glass-fronted dock, listening as he had throughout his trial, on a headset. | Rolf Harris was allowed to remain seated in the glass-fronted dock, listening as he had throughout his trial, on a headset. |
| A short distance away his wife, Alwen Hughes, his daughter Bindi, his niece Jenny and other relatives and supporters looked on. | A short distance away his wife, Alwen Hughes, his daughter Bindi, his niece Jenny and other relatives and supporters looked on. |
| Twelve times the forewoman of the jury said the word "guilty". Harris remained completely impassive. Bindi widened her eyes, looking stunned. Jenny turned to Harris's wife and gently shook her head. | Twelve times the forewoman of the jury said the word "guilty". Harris remained completely impassive. Bindi widened her eyes, looking stunned. Jenny turned to Harris's wife and gently shook her head. |
| They had been convinced of his innocence. But the jury was sure of his guilt. | They had been convinced of his innocence. But the jury was sure of his guilt. |
| Trial put Harris under harsh spotlight | Trial put Harris under harsh spotlight |
| Harris, from Bray, Berkshire, was first questioned in November 2012 in Scotland Yard's Operation Yewtree investigation set up in the wake of sexual abuse allegations against the late BBC Radio 1 DJ Jimmy Savile. | Harris, from Bray, Berkshire, was first questioned in November 2012 in Scotland Yard's Operation Yewtree investigation set up in the wake of sexual abuse allegations against the late BBC Radio 1 DJ Jimmy Savile. |
| Although his arrest was unconnected to Savile's offending, the publicity surrounding that case had prompted the friend of Harris's daughter to come forward. The other women contacted police after Harris's arrest in March 2012. | Although his arrest was unconnected to Savile's offending, the publicity surrounding that case had prompted the friend of Harris's daughter to come forward. The other women contacted police after Harris's arrest in March 2012. |
| Speaking outside court after the seven-week trial, Jenny Hopkins, deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor for London, said: "The victims in this case have suffered in silence for many years and have only recently found the courage to come forward. I would like to pay tribute to the bravery they displayed in coming to court. | |
| "Each victim, unknown to the others, described a similar pattern of behaviour; that of a man acting without fear of the consequences. | |
| "I hope today's verdict provides other victims with the courage and confidence to come forward no matter who is alleged to have carried out the abuse." | |
| Peter Watt, director of national services at the NSPCC, said the children's charity had had 28 calls about Harris through its helpline, including 13 people who said they had been abused by him. | Peter Watt, director of national services at the NSPCC, said the children's charity had had 28 calls about Harris through its helpline, including 13 people who said they had been abused by him. |
| He added: "All of this was passed to the police, helping them to build their case against Harris, whose actions over the years have seriously damaged the lives of his victims. | He added: "All of this was passed to the police, helping them to build their case against Harris, whose actions over the years have seriously damaged the lives of his victims. |
| "His reckless and brazen sexual offending, sometimes in public places, bizarrely within sight of people he knew, speaks volumes about just how untouchable he thought he was." | "His reckless and brazen sexual offending, sometimes in public places, bizarrely within sight of people he knew, speaks volumes about just how untouchable he thought he was." |
| Ms Lee, 43, said the abuse had led her to contemplate taking her own life. | Ms Lee, 43, said the abuse had led her to contemplate taking her own life. |
| The mother-of-three said: "This has impacted me in ways you can't imagine and in ways that can't be taken back... | The mother-of-three said: "This has impacted me in ways you can't imagine and in ways that can't be taken back... |
| "To this day I can't go to sleep without lying in a lounge and having the TV on. I cannot lie in a room and try and sit with my thoughts and go to sleep." | "To this day I can't go to sleep without lying in a lounge and having the TV on. I cannot lie in a room and try and sit with my thoughts and go to sleep." |
| Harris became known to successive generations after arriving in London from his native Australia at the age of 22 in 1952. He became a fixture on British TV screens as a children's entertainer, songwriter, performer, and became an OBE, MBE and CBE. | Harris became known to successive generations after arriving in London from his native Australia at the age of 22 in 1952. He became a fixture on British TV screens as a children's entertainer, songwriter, performer, and became an OBE, MBE and CBE. |
| He was also an artist and in 2005 painted a portrait of the Queen. | He was also an artist and in 2005 painted a portrait of the Queen. |
| In his evidence, Harris reminded the jury of his career, how he had invented the wobble board instrument by accident and popularised the didgeridoo, and talked about his hit records, briefly singing a line from one of them, Jake the Peg. | In his evidence, Harris reminded the jury of his career, how he had invented the wobble board instrument by accident and popularised the didgeridoo, and talked about his hit records, briefly singing a line from one of them, Jake the Peg. |
| He denied having sexual contact with his daughter's friend while she was under 16, but said they had consensual sexual contact later. He described himself as a "touchy feely sort of person" and rejected the other women's claims of sexual assault. | He denied having sexual contact with his daughter's friend while she was under 16, but said they had consensual sexual contact later. He described himself as a "touchy feely sort of person" and rejected the other women's claims of sexual assault. |