9 Feb 2017

Rolf Harris cleared of three sex offences

6:04 am on 9 February 2017

Rolf Harris has been found not guilty of two charges of indecent assault and one of sexual assault.

Rolf Harris

Photo: AFP

The former TV star was facing seven charges in a London court involving allegations made by seven women over a 33-year period from 1971.

The jury of seven women and five men at Southwark Crown Court , who had been deliberating for more than 26 hours, failed to reach verdicts on the remaining four counts.

Judge Alistair McCreath has dismissed the jury. The prosecution now has to decide whether to pursue another trial on the undecided counts.

The unresolved counts relate to allegations that Harris indecently assaulted four teenage girls on separate occasions at public events between 1971 and 2002.

The charges on which he has been found not guilty include the alleged indecent assaults of a blind and disabled woman, and a 13-year-old girl who sought a signature off him at a radio station.

Both incidents were alleged to have occurred in the late 1970s.

Harris was also found not guilty of sexually assaulting a 42-year-old woman who alleged the entertainer grabbed her breasts at a party in 2004.

Harris let out a sigh after the second "not guilty" verdict was read out.

He waved to his supporters when he left, one of whom was in tears after hearing the decision.

The 86-year-old will return to Stafford Prison where he is serving a sentence of five years and nine months for previous convictions of indecent assault.

- ABC