The jury in the current Rolf Harris indecent assault retrial has been discharged this morning, after failing to reach a verdict.
The disgraced writer of such racist classics as Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport faced up to court in London again last week, charged with the indecent assault of three teenage girls at public events in the UK in 1971, 1978 and 1983. He was released from prison earlier this month, having served time for sexually assaulting a number of young girls over nearly two decades from 1968.
Two of the charges were first presented to the court in January this year, with Harris appearing via video-link from Stafford Prison, but the jury were then unable to reach a verdict. At the same time Harris was found not guilty of two counts of indecent assault, and one of sexual assault.
It is alleged that Harris touched a 14-year-old girl between her legs in 1971, squeezed the breast of and ran his hand between the legs of a 16-year-old girl in 1978, and groped the breast of a 13-year-old girl in 1983.
Harris’ defence rested on the claim that two of the women were making it all up for $$, and that the other was doing it to advance her career as an advocate for sexual abuse victims.
At 2pm on Friday the jury were sent out to deliberate, but after just two hours were sent home for the bank holiday long weekend. They returned today, but remained unable to reach a unanimous decision.
Prosecutors will not seek a second retrial.
Harris has maintained his innocence on all charges against him, including the ones he was convicted of, has never apologised, and has spent his time in prison doing arts and crafts (making toilet roll didgeridoos), and writing songs about his victims that describe them as “wenches“. Classy.
Source: News.com.au
Photo: Carl Court / Getty
