Rolf Harris launches bid to clear his name
Disgraced children’s entertainer Rolf Harris has launched an audacious bid to clear his name today, appearing before the Royal Courts of Justice in central London with fresh evidence he believes will have his 12 indecent assault convictions thrown out.
The 87-year-old’s legal team has told a London appeals court that key evidence, not seen by the jury in his 2014 sexual abuse trial, could have exonerated Harris.
Four of initial convictions will be appealed, and if the judges sitting in the Court of Appeal Criminal Division rule in his favour, Harris will argue the remaining eight convictions are unsafe and should also be thrown out by the court.
The defence is arguing Harris should not have been convicted of indecently touching a seven-year-old girl at a community centre in Leigh Park council estate in rural England, as there was no evidence that he had ever been there.
Harris’ legal team also contends one of the key prosecution witnesses was a “Walter Mitty-type” character who, amongst other things, lied about serving in the Korean War.
Stephen Vullo, QC, for Harris says this means the conviction was unsafe.
"It's credible, it's reliable, it goes to the central issue in the case and it wasn't raised at the trial," he said.
Prosecutor Jonathan Rees, QC, argues this should not be accepted as new evidence.
“The fresh evidence should not be received by the court and if any or all if it is, it still does not render the convictions unsafe,’’ he said.
The court will hear more legal arguments on Wednesday, before retiring to consider its decision.
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