Rolf Harris, 84, appears at crown court supported by his wife to face 12 charges of historic sex attacks on young girls



The 84-year-old is accused of assaulting four girls - youngest was seven



He denies 12 charges indecent assault between 1968 and 1986

Final jury selection is taking place at Southwark Crown Court today



Veteran entertainer arrived holding hands with wife Alwen and his niece



He was pictured leaving court while also holding the hand of his wife



Hand in hand, they entered the court together.

Rolf Harris was joined by relatives including his wife Alwen Hughes and daughter Bindi – as well as a team of security guards – as he appeared at Southwark Crown Court yesterday to face trial.

Smiling, the veteran entertainer – who is accused of sex attacks on girls as young as seven – bent to kiss his wife before stepping into the dock for the first time.

The 84-year-old Australian is said to have preyed on four youngsters over two decades.



Rolf Harris leaves Southwark Crown Court with his wife Alwen Hughes. Mr Harris, who was arrested in March 2013 by police officers working for Operation Yewtree, has been charged with 16 counts of indecent assault on teenage girls and of making indecent images of children

He held the hands of his wife and niece both on the way in and out of the court

The 84-year-old is accused of assaulting four girls, the youngest of whom was seven or eight and the oldest aged 19 between 1968 and 1986, which he denies

Rolf Harris is pictured arriving at court to face twelve charges of indecent assault against young girls. He held hands with his wife Alwen (left) and his niece (right) while his daughter walked alongside (far left) Harris arriving at Southwark Crown Court for the jury selection with his wife and daughter - the prosecution case is set to open later in the week

He denies 12 allegations of indecent assault of victims ranging in age from seven to 19 between 1968 and 1986.

Yesterday, an extended jury panel of 17 men and women were selected for his eight-week trial, due to start this week.

Potential jurors who were in contact with friends and family in Australia or New Zealand were excluded by Mr Justice Sweeney, who told them some of the alleged offences occurred abroad.

Wearing a navy suit and snake print tie, the TV star sat quietly throughout the selection.

He spoke only to praise the judge, muttering: ‘He is very good, isn’t he? Very good.’

Harris appeared frail at times as he strained to hear the proceedings. During a lengthy adjournment he was seen sleeping in a public area outside the court beside a lunch box he carried with him into the dock. His sculptress wife of 56 years watched him intently as she sat huddled in the cold courtroom beneath a poncho covering a summery turquoise dress.

The final jury selection process is expected to take place today before his trial opens tomorrow.

Harris, who painted a portrait of the Queen in 2005, has been a fixture on British TV screens for more than 40 years. He had his first musical hit with Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport in 1960, and continued to enjoy success in the industry as well as forging a television career.

Harris, from Bray, Berkshire, is facing 12 counts of indecent assault, to which he entered not guilty pleas at the same court at a hearing in January.



Sitting in the glass-walled dock in a packed courtroom, Harris watched as an initial panel of possible jurors was selected.



Mr Justice Sweeney told the potential jurors: 'You have been summoned to this court to take part as potential jurors in the selection of the jury panel from which, hopefully in the next day or two, the jury will be chosen to try the defendant, Rolf Harris.



'It is anticipated that the trial will proceed as soon as the jury has been sworn in.



Harris, from Bray, Berkshire, is facing 12 counts of indecent assault, to which he entered not guilty pleas at the same court at a hearing in January

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His trial, being heard in front of Mr Justice Sweeney, is expected to take more than six weeks

Harris met his wife, who is said to suffer from crippling arthritis, when they were art students and they married in 1958

'The defendant is charged with a number of offences of indecent assault, variously alleged to have taken place in the broad period between 1968 and 1986.

'The evidence overall includes events in Australia and New Zealand.'

Mr Justice Sweeney told the panel of 17 potential jurors chosen from the pool that they are likely to be called back on Thursday.

He said: 'It is vitally important now that you know the case that you may potentially end up as a juror in that you do not, and I underline not, go away and start trying to research this case in any way whether on the internet or otherwise, let alone try to contact anyone involved in the case in any capacity.

'I say no research and no contact with anyone in the case precisely because as I said earlier the jurors who end up trying this case must do so impartially and based only on the evidence given in court during the trial and on absolutely nothing else.'

Court artist sketch Rolf Harris. The Australian artist, musician and television presenter was arrested by officers working on Operation Yewtree, the national investigation launched after abuse claims were made against Jimmy Savile, but the allegations against him have no connection to Savile The artist and television personality walks up to Southwark Crown Court The Australian artist, musician and television presenter was arrested by officers working on Operation Yewtree, the national investigation launched after abuse claims were made against Jimmy Savile, but the allegations against him have no connection to Savile

CHARGES AGAINST ROLF HARRIS

Six of the indecent assault counts relate to a girl aged 15 between April 1980 and April 1981, and one relates to the same alleged victim when she was aged 19 between January 1984 and January 1985.

Three of the alleged indecent assaults relate to a 14-year-old girl in May 1986.

The other two charges relate to the alleged indecent assault on a girl aged seven or eight between January 1968 and January 1970, and a girl aged 14 between January 1975 and January 1976.

They were also told not to discuss the case.



Mr Justice Sweeney told the possible jurors that more potential members may be added to the pool, and that they are likely to be called back on Thursday.



He told the potential jurors the trial will last until June 27 at the latest.

Harris, who painted a portrait of the Queen in 2005 and performed at her Diamond Jubilee concert in 2012, has been in the public eye for decades.



He had his first musical hit Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport in 1960, and continued to enjoy success in the industry as well as forging a television career.

Harris, who has lived in the village of Bray for more than 50 years, has also received a number of honours and was made Officer of the Order of Australia in the Queen's Birthday Honours in 2012.

Harris met his wife, who is said to suffer from crippling arthritis, when they were art students and they married in 1958.

The Australian artist, musician and television presenter was arrested by officers working on Operation Yewtree, the national investigation launched after abuse claims were made against Jimmy Savile, but the allegations against him have no connection to Savile.