ROLF HARRIS IS A FREE MAN AS CPS DITCHES THIRD TRIAL

ROLF HARRIS IS A FREE MAN AS CPS DITCHES THIRD TRIAL



Rolf Harris said he is relieved and wants to spend the remainder of his time with his ill wife following today's announcement from the Crown Prosecution Service that he will not face a third trial for assault allegations.

The former entertainer and musician said he felt 'no sense of victory, only relief' but said he wanted to spend his remaining time with his loyal wife Alwen, 85, who has been unwell.

The second jury trying the shamed TV star on claims he molested the three young fans in the 1970s and 1980s were discharged after failing to reach verdicts after less than five hours of deliberations.

In a statement read outside court by his lawyer Daniel Berke, Harris said: 'Whilst I am pleased that this is finally over, I feel no sense of victory - just relief.

'I am 87 years old, my wife is in ill health and we simply want to spend our remaining time together.'

Harris also thanked his legal team in the statement and the 'beautiful friends and family' who supported him.

He was discharged from the dock and there was a shout of 'Well done Rolf' as the entertainer walked out of court.

Meanwhile it was also revealed this afternoon that Harris failed in a bid to stay at home during his trial to be with his ailing wife Alwen, 85.



The 87-year-old was said to have groped a trio of young fans in public settings while maintaining his reputation as Britain's top children's entertainer.

Harris had been accused of indecently assaulting three girls, aged 13 to 16, at the Lyceum Theatre in London after filming for ITV's Star Games and in the BBC's Saturday Superstore green room.

Jurors at London's Southwark Crown Court heard the veteran star approached his alleged victims with lines such as 'You're a little bit irresistible' and 'Do you often get molested on a Saturday morning?'.

They contacted police and the NSPCC after seeing reports of his convictions in 2014 for molesting four girls, aged between seven and 19, between 1969 and 1986.

Harris was stripped of his honours after those verdicts, including an MBE in 1968, an OBE in 1977 and a CBE in 2006 after he was jailed for five years and nine months.

The former Animal Hospital presenter was released from HMP Stafford on May 19 after serving less than half the sentence.



The Australia-born artist insisted those convictions left him 'vulnerable' to fake claims from liars looking to make a quick buck or a spot in the limelight.

After deliberating for less than five hours today, the jury of seven women and five men took said they could not reach verdicts on the four counts of indecent assault.

Judge Deborah Taylor said: 'Well, in that case I am going to discharge you in relation to all the counts you are dealing with in this case.'

Later, prosecutor Jonathan Rees QC said: 'We have reviewed whether it would be appropriate to seek a further retrial on these allegations.

'The CPS has come to the firm view that it would not. Accordingly we offer no evidence on the four counts on the indictment.'

Harris was said to have pulled a 14-year-old girl onto his lap and slipping his hand up her skirt at the Lyceum Theatre in London's West End in July 1971.

The woman, now 60, told jurors she had 'wandered over and had a look' after spotting him signing autographs for other youngsters before picking up a pre-signed scrap of paper.

But his former tour manager told jurors how Harris always personally signed autographs and was never 'the instigator of touching a child and or adult and draw them towards him'.

Harris was also accused of molesting a 16-year-old who assisted him during filming for ITV's Star Games in 1978 also featuring celebrities including Radio One DJ Tony Blackburn and former EastEnders actress Rula Lenska.



The court was told Harris - who was convicted of groping another 16-year-old at the show in his first trial - told her she was 'a little bit irresistible' before grabbing her breast and later forcing his hand between her legs.

Another 13-year-old fan told police she was 'shocked' when the disgraced entertainer whispered: 'Do you often get molested on a Saturday morning?' after a broadcast of children's show Saturday Superstore.

He was charged with fondling her breast in the show's green room on New Year's Day in 1983.

Insisting she came forward for 'vindication and justice', the court heard she made her complaint the same day that a newspaper website featured an article headlined 'Victims of Rolf Harris to receive £200,000 in compensation'.

Harris is the highest profile celebrity to be tried under the Metropolitan Police's Operation Yewtree probe, launched in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal.

Harris, formerly of Bray, Berkshire, denied four counts of indecent assault and two juries have been unable to agree on verdicts in relation to each count.