Harris ‘victim’ told friends he would be outed next
One of Rolf Harris’s alleged victims told friends she knew which celebrity would be unmasked as a paedophile next after seeing reports of the Savile case, a court heard.
The woman, who claims Harris slipped his hand up her skirt as he gave her an autograph in 1971, claims news about Jimmy Savile’s horrific abuse ‘triggered’ her to call the NSPCC.
But the 86-year-old star’s defence team suggested she may be seeking compensation after he was jailed was jailed for five years and nine months in 2014 for sexually assaulting four victims, the youngest aged just seven, between 1968 and 1986.
Southwark Crown Court was played the complainant’s call to the NSPCC – which she later claimed she could not remember – on 3 July 2014, a day before he was sentenced.
The woman said: ‘It’s a bit difficult to talk about. I’m actually aware of something that has been in the news obviously regarding a certain celebrity that’s being charged tomorrow.’
The operator said: ‘I assume you’re calling about Rolf Harris.’
She replied: ‘Yes.’
The complainant was put through to an advisor and told him: ‘I’ve not had the courage to come forward, I have seen this in the news.
‘I have been pushed by friends for years to say something.’
She continued: ‘It’s to the point where I have never been able to watch him on the television.
‘I will tell you what happened. He put his hand up me skirt and then at one point he dragged me onto his knee which, you know, was horrendous when you were 14.’
Earlier the court heard Harris pulled her on to his lap and slipped his hand up her skirt as she went to get his autograph at the Lyceum Theatre in London’s West End on 10 July 1971.
She told the NSPCC: ‘With all this coming in the papers this week I have just stopped – well I should say something you know, it’s just not right.’
She added: ‘It all kicked off with, obviously it started with Jimmy Savile. You I’ve told friends for years ‘you know, I know who’s coming next’.
‘Where I’m employed, I’ve been employed there for 13 years now. And I’ve said to all my work colleagues and my bosses, you know: ‘I’ll tell you who’ll be next.’
The woman later told her mother and aunt about the allegation – but they both suffer with dementia and aren’t fit to give evidence.
Her father has since died.
Stephen Vullo QC, defending Harris, asked if she had come forward after seeing news reports about Harris’ former victims getting compensation.
He asked: ‘So there’s really no point in me saying to you well, there’s this media about compensation and that’s why you have come forward, you didn’t know about that, that’s what you are saying?’
She said: ‘I didn’t read about that and that’s not why I have come forward.’
Mr Vullo asked: ‘Do you accept that in fact contrary to what you told us a few moments ago that you were following Mr Harris’ trial in the media and the press?’
She replied: ‘I wasn’t following it intently, at work there could be a newspaper there but I wasn’t following it.’
Prosecutor Jonathan Rees said: ‘You told us yesterday that it was when the news of Jimmy Savile entered the newspapers that you retrieved the photograph of Mr Harris.’
She said: ‘When it was on about Mr Savile it triggered everything again.’
Harris is standing trial via video link from HMP Stafford after claiming he will be too ‘ill, tired, or hungry’ if he has to attend Southwark Crown Court in person.
He denies seven counts of indecent assault and one count of sexual assault against seven complainants who were contacted by police and the NSPCC in the wake of publicity surrounding his first trial.
Among his alleged victims are a blind woman who claims he ‘slobbered’ over her and a disabled woman.
Two of the complainants are said to have branded the entertainer a ‘dirty old man’, while witnesses to the incidents dubbed him ‘creepy, cringing and lecherous’.
Harris, formerly of Fishery Road, Bray, Maidenhead, Berks, denies seven counts of indecent assault and one of sexual assault.
The trial continues
