11 Jul 2014

NZ woman makes Rolf Harris complaint

8:00 am on 11 July 2014

A New Zealand woman has made a complaint to police saying she was sexually assaulted by disgraced entertainer Rolf Harris in the 1980s.

Rolf Harris.

Rolf Harris. Photo: AFP

The 84-year-old was last week found guilty in London on 12 charges of indecently assaulting four girls over nearly 20 years from 1968. He was sentenced to almost five years and nine months in jail.

Make-up artist Lee Howden has accused Harris of assaulting her when he was in Christchurch for a television appearance nearly 30 years ago.

Ms Howden said she had been been driven to speak out in support of his younger victims and after witnessing Harris' apparent lack of remorse during his trial.

"It's not so much justice for me, although yes I do feel like a victim," she said. "But I was in my late twenties - I want justice for those young women."

The Christchurch woman met with police on Thursday to make her complaint and this will be followed by a formal interview next week. She has been told police will collate video statements from her and several others to send to UK authorities.

New Zealand police say they are encouraging any women with complaints against Rolf Harris to come forward, but will not be making public the number of complaints or making any further comment.