Rolf Harris: Convicted paedophile who used his fame to groom younger ladies dies aged 93

Disgraced entertainer Rolf Harris, who turned one of many UK’s greatest TV stars however was later jailed for utilizing his fame to groom and assault younger ladies, has died on the age of 93.

Harris died of neck most cancers and “frailty of old age” at his dwelling in Bray, Berkshire, on 10 May, in line with his demise certificates. The certificates additionally steered he can be cremated.

In a press release, his household stated he “recently died peacefully surrounded by family and friends and has now been laid to rest”.

The Australian-born TV presenter was a household favorite for many years earlier than being jailed over sexual assaults on younger ladies, together with a childhood buddy of his daughter and an autograph hunter, in 2014.

He denied all of the accusations however was convicted after a high-profile trial of a dozen historic indecent assaults towards 4 ladies and 4 prices of manufacturing indecent little one photographs. It wrecked his profession and ruined his status.

Sentencing him to 5 years and 9 months in jail, the decide stated Harris had taken benefit of his movie star standing and proven no regret.

The downfall of a nationwide treasure

Harris arrived in Britain aged 22 from his native Australia in 1953 and have become a nationwide treasure who had a number of of his personal TV collection, and appeared as a visitor on many others from the Sixties onwards.

He had a string of hits with songs similar to Jake the Peg, Two Little Boys, and Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport. He additionally appeared a number of instances at Glastonbury Festival.

Read extra: Rolf Harris’s biggest concern was not being liked – his wicked crimes guarantee he will not be

He was awarded many honours, together with an MBE, OBE and CBE, a BAFTA fellowship and honorary college doctorates, all of which have been revoked after his conviction.

Queen Elizabeth II sat for him for an eightieth birthday portrait which was hung in Buckingham Palace.

Operation Yewtree arrest

Leading publicist Mark Borkowski stated: “When the accusations sank in you began to feel cheated, that all those emotions you’ve had for an icon were false.

“He had a darker facet to him that overshadowed all of the enjoyable and video games he had broadcast for many years.

“People will remember him as an entertainer, unique, [who] lived in the heart of the nation and was good at reinventing himself – but he will be remembered for his crimes.”

Harris, married with a daughter, was amongst a dozen celebrities arrested throughout Operation Yewtree, certainly one of a collection of police investigations into historic intercourse abuse allegations towards high-profile figures – together with BBC presenter Jimmy Savile, a prolific intercourse offender uncovered solely after his demise.

At the beginning of his trial, the prosecutor described Harris as “a Jekyll and Hyde” character with a hidden darkish facet to his character.

A childhood buddy of his daughter Bindi was his predominant sufferer, telling the jury he had groomed and indecently assaulted her repeatedly between the ages of 13 and 19, as soon as when his daughter was asleep in the identical room.

She known as the police about Harris after the large publicity surrounding Savile’s publicity, although there was no connection between the 2 males’s crimes.

Harris stated he’d had a relationship with the girl however claimed it started after she turned 18. He later wrote to her father insisting nothing unlawful had occurred.

‘Parents believed their kids have been secure’

Mike Hames, former head of the Metropolitan Police’s paedophile squad, stated: “Children loved him and parents were willing to leave their children with him because they believed they were safe.

“That’s the right option to function from the perspective of a kid abuser as a result of they can get the kid by themselves and since the kid is in awe and impossible to say something.”

Australian Tonya Lee, who waived her proper to anonymity, stated Harris abused her 3 times on at some point when she was 15 and on a theatre group journey to the UK.

She later stated she contemplated taking her personal life due to the abuse.

Other victims instructed the courtroom that he touched or groped them, generally at public occasions or charity performances.

Jurors have been additionally instructed of indecent assaults on ladies in Australia, New Zealand, and Malta – though Harris wasn’t charged with abroad crimes.

Peter Watt, of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), stated the charity had helped police construct the case towards Harris after 28 calls to its helpline, together with 13 ladies who stated he had abused them.

Mr Watt stated after Harris’s conviction: “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.”

Wife stood by him in last years

In 2015, Harris was stripped of his CBE and of honours in his native Australia.

In 2017, whereas he was nonetheless in jail, he was placed on trial a second time, over 4 allegations of indecent assault on three teenage ladies. He denied the fees and was discovered not responsible after the jury did not agree verdicts.

In a press release learn out by his lawyer, Harris stated: “I feel no sense of victory, only relief. I’m 87 years old, my wife is in ill health and we simply want to spend our remaining time together in peace.”

Harris was free of jail midway by his second trial after serving three years. One of his convictions was overturned on enchantment.

He spent the remainder of his days residing reclusively together with his sculptor spouse Alwen, who had stood by him, on the couple’s Thames riverside dwelling in Berkshire.