The veteran TV presenter Rolf Harris, who was convicted of multiple sexual assault charges in 2014, is set be released from prison this week.
The 87-year-old is currently serving time at Stafford Prison. According
to Judge Deborah Taylor at Southwark Crown Court, he will be released on
Friday.
Following his release, Harris will be attending an ongoing indecent
assault trial against him, where he is being tried on four counts of
indecent assault against three teenagers between 1971 and 1983. The
trial members at Southwark Crown Court were the first to hear the news
that he was being released, as he had been appearing at the trial via
video-link.
Harris was jailed for a total of 12 sex offences back in 2014, on 30th
June, meaning that on his release date of the 19th of May 2017, he will have
served just three years of his original six-year sentence.
Harris, who was famed for his work on Animal Hospital, was convicted for abusing girls as young as seven and eight between the years of 1968 and 1986.
The well-known figure was also convicted for abuse against another young victim, who at the time was said to be only 13, whom he reportedly used as his “little toy”. His oldest victim was said to be 19.
At his sentencing, judge Mr Justice Sweeney affirmed that he thought Harris showed no remorse for his victims, saying ‘’Your reputation lies in ruins, you have been stripped of your honours, but you have no one to blame but yourself.”
Following the conviction, the former presenter was stripped of his CBE on the order of the Queen herself.
Harris denies all four of the new charges of indecent
assault against him.
