ROLF BID Rolf Harris claims he has ‘fresh evidence’ in bid to overturn indecent assault convictions. Former star, 87, is seeking to prove he was not present at a community centre where he was accused of groping a young girl
By John Shammas – 8th November 2017
DISGRACED entertainer Rolf Harris today launched his latest bid to overturn his child sex convictions with what he claims is “fresh evidence”.
Harris, 87, renewed his application to have two previous convictions quashed at the Court of Appeal in central London.
The cartoonist, singer and TV presenter hired private investigators to track down key witnesses including police officers.
The fresh evidence relates to the conflicting testimony of a young girl’s father who said he would not have allowed his daughter to attend a community centre in Portsmouth where Harris was said to have groped her.
Harris’ defence barrister Stephen Vullo QC said: “In my respectful submission this is classic fresh evidence – it is real and an issue that was not raised at trial.”
The latest proceedings before Lord Justice Treacy, Mrs Justice McGowan and the Recorder of Preston Judge Mark Brown, stem from his conviction and jailing in 2014.
Harris was convicted of 12 indecent assaults at London’s Southwark Crown Court in June 2014 – one on an eight-year-old autograph hunter, two on girls in their early teens, and a catalogue of abuse against his daughter’s friend over 16 years
Harris was convicted of 12 indecent assaults at London’s Southwark Crown Court in June 2014 – one on an eight-year-old autograph hunter, two on girls in their early teens, and a catalogue of abuse against his daughter’s friend over 16 years
The frail star sat in the public gallery at the Court of Appeal, scribbling notes on a piece of paper before the hearing after he arrived in a blacked-out Mercedes with family members.
Mr Vullo called retired detective superintendent Graham Piper and retired detective constable Peter Spencer who worked at the police station 50 yards from a community centre in Leigh Park, Portsmouth where Harris was said to have molested a young autograph hunter.
Both repeated their testimonies they gave at trial that they were not aware of Harris ever attending the community centre.
They said they would have known if he had so done because of the celebrity’s draw.
Harris had first been questioned by cops in 2012 as part of Operation Yewtree
But under further cross examination from prosecutor Jonathan Rees QC they both admitted that Harris could have attended the centre, between 1968 and 1969, without their knowledge.
The victim’s father said he would have known if Harris was there at the time of the offence as it would have been “common gossip” and he simply “would not allow her to go” because of her age.
Mr Vullo said: “He has absolutely no motive to undermine this court – he is, in my submission, an honest witness.
“It is possible, I suppose, that he [Harris] turned up to the centre and then disappeared without anyone knowing – or actually is the reality just blindingly obvious that he just never attended?”
The artist and musician Harris, 87, was convicted of 12 indecent assaults at London’s Southwark Crown Court in June 2014.
Harris, a family favourite for decades, was jailed for five years and nine months after being convicted of a string of assaults which took place between 1968 and 1986.
The Australian-born television presenter has since been released from that sentence.
Earlier this year he was formally cleared of unconnected historical sex offences, which he had denied.
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https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/4860159/rolf-harris-trial-latest-evidence-indecent-assault-convictions/