Rolf Harris guilty: Police release mugshot as disgraced singer faces jail
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Version 0 of 1. Police have released a mugshot of the disgraced entertainer Rolf Harris after he was found guilty of 12 counts of indecent assault. In contrast to his polished appearance at trial, when he wore a suit and posed for the cameras with his wife and daughter, he looks worn and dishevelled, staring blankly into the camera. The picture was taken in custody when the 84-year-old was charged in August last year but the Metropolitan Police did not release it until he was convicted on Monday. The jury at Southwark Crown Court deliberated for more than 33 hours before finding Harris guilty of assaulting four victims between 1968 and 1986. Harris has been released on bail until his sentencing but was warned by Justice Sweeney that it was “inevitable” he could face a jail term. Speaking outside the court, DCI Michael Orchard said: “Rolf Harris has habitually denied any wrongdoing, forcing his victims to recount their ordeal in public. “He committed many offences in plain sight of people as he thought his celebrity status placed him above the law. “I want to thank the women who came forward for their bravery, I hope today's guilty verdict will give them closure and help them to begin to move on with their lives.” Police are already considering a number of new allegations about Harris, one of which involves a prominent television star. During his trial, prosecutors claimed that the entertainer was a “Jekyll and Hyde” character who had a dark side to his personality and used his fame to abuse under-age girls with impunity. His conviction is the most high-profile of those achieved by officers from Scotland Yard as part of Operation Yewtree, which was set up in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal. Harris is due to be sentenced on Friday morning. |