Rolf Harris jury discharged after failing to reach verdict on historic assault charges

Rolf Harris is set to leave court a free man after a jury failed to reach a verdict on four indecent assault charges.

The 87-year-old former children’s entertainer had been accused of indecently assaulting three teenage girls, including a 13-year-old, at public events between 1971 and 1983.

But after deliberating for just under five hours at Southwark Crown Court in London, the jury said they were unable to reach verdicts on any of the four charges and were discharged by Judge Deborah Taylor.

He was alleged to have touched one of the victims after a recording of the BBC children’s show Saturday Superstore in 1983.

Harris had also been accused of indecently touching a 14-year-old girl in 1971 after she asked him for an autograph at a music event for children in London.

The musician and artist had also been accused of twice groping a third teenage girl after being paid £100 to appear on ITV celebrity show Star Games in 1978, and telling her she was “a little bit irresistible”.

Harris, who denied all the charges did not give evidence, with his lawyers saying he did not remember any of the events in question.

His lawyers claimed the women were motivated by greed, coming forward after he was convicted in June 2014 of 12 counts of indecent assault.

Harris attended the trial via video link before his release and then on in person.

Dressed in a dark blue suit and light blue tie he watched from the dock as the the jury foreman told the judge on Tuesday that its members were unable to reach unanimous or majority 10-2 verdicts.

Prosecutor Jonathan Rees, QC, said he will announce whether Harris will face a third trial on the allegations at 2pm.

The former television star was initially released from HMP Stafford in May after serving almost three years for 12 counts of indecent assault.

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