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Rolf Harris trial: Entertainer begins giving evidence Rolf Harris trial: Entertainer denies abusing girl on holiday
(35 minutes later)
TV entertainer and artist Rolf Harris has started giving evidence at London's Southwark Crown Court in his trial for alleged indecent assaults. TV entertainer and artist Rolf Harris has denied touching a teenage girl in a sexual way while on holiday in 1978, after he began giving evidence at his trial for alleged indecent assaults.
The jury has heard prosecution claims Mr Harris, from Bray, Berkshire, was a "Jekyll and Hyde" character whose fame allowed him to target under-age girls. Mr Harris told the jury at Southwark Crown Court that he is a "touchy feely sort of person" but also denied claims he abused a friend of his daughter's.
He denies 12 counts of indecent assault on girls aged seven or eight to 19. The 84-year-old first told the court of his childhood in Australia.
The 84-year-old began by providing details of his childhood in Australia. He denies 12 counts of indecent assault on girls between 1968 and 1986.
He told the court he had been a talented swimmer as a teenager and went to university but "didn't really understand it" and was asked to leave. Asked about an allegation that he assaulted the girl, who was then aged 13, after she left the shower while on the holiday, Mr Harris said: "Nope, didn't happen."
Mr Harris said he then started teaching but became unwell after picking up an infection while swimming in a river and became "totally paralysed". Wobble board sounds
He said it was while he was recovering from the illness in hospital that he decided to pursue a career in painting and moved to London to study in March 1952, when he was 22. Outlining his early life, Mr Harris said he had been a talented swimmer as a teenager and went to university but "didn't really understand it" and was asked to leave.
He said he then started teaching but became unwell after picking up an infection while swimming in a river and became "totally paralysed".
It was while he was recovering from the illness in hospital that he decided to pursue a career in painting and moved to London to study in March 1952, arriving when he was 22.
The entertainer said he got his break in television in 1953, despite an "appalling" audition.The entertainer said he got his break in television in 1953, despite an "appalling" audition.
Mr Harris was given a five minute slot on a programme called Jigsaw, the jury was told, before he was "signed up" by the BBC in 1954.Mr Harris was given a five minute slot on a programme called Jigsaw, the jury was told, before he was "signed up" by the BBC in 1954.
He was asked about his musical background, telling the jury he had invented the wobble board instrument in 1959 while coating a portrait painted on a piece of hardboard with turpentine.
Mr Harris also gave details of his musical recordings, singing a section of his song Jake the Peg to the jury and demonstrating the sounds made by a didgeridoo and wobble board.
The jury heard how Mr Harris went on to be made an MBE, CBE and OBE and was commissioned to paint a portrait of the Queen in 2005.
Earlier in the trial, prosecutor Sasha Wass QC told the jury Mr Harris was "an immensely talented man" but used his reputation to carry out "brazen" sexual assaults, often when other people were present or nearby.Earlier in the trial, prosecutor Sasha Wass QC told the jury Mr Harris was "an immensely talented man" but used his reputation to carry out "brazen" sexual assaults, often when other people were present or nearby.
The incidents are alleged to have taken place between 1968 and 1986. The prosecution claims Mr Harris, from Bray, Berkshire, was a "Jekyll and Hyde" character whose fame allowed him to target under-age girls.