News, views and top stories in your inbox. Don't miss our must-read newsletter Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Rolf Harris’s old home was raided months before he was arrested after a plumber found child porn stashed under the floorboards.

We can reveal the collection of pictures of underage girls was discovered in the early 1970s.

A plumber working at his former property in Sydenham, South East London, stumbled across them – but panicked and put them back.

Harris, 84, lived at the property – two houses he knocked together – during the 60s and 70s before moving to Bray, Berks.

But in 2012, after the Jimmy Savile scandal erupted, the workman told cops about the find.

Police visited the property and tore up the floor but found nothing. However, it put Harris on the radar of Operation Yewtree.

A source said: “The report was taken seriously and they went around to look under the floorboards. Nothing was found but the intelligence made Harris a person of interest.”

Shortly after the first of his victims came forward and Harris was first questioned under caution in November 2012.

The revelation comes on the back of the Crown Prosecution Service announcement that they are dropping child porn charges.

Southwark Crown Court heard how the warped entertainer looked at indecent images on websites called “Young Little Girlies” and “My Little Nieces”.

He was accused of downloading 33 pictures of boys and girls under the age of 18. But despite the evidence prosecutors said they would not be pursuing charges as it was not in the public interest.

Defence lawyers had claimed the indecent image charges should be dismissed as the girls were over 18.

Harris was accused of leering over pictures of underage Eastern European girls – some of them posing in skimpy underwear with teddy bears – on websites including “Russian Virgins”.

Sasha Wass QC said: “It’s the Crown’s position that the girls look underage and the websites are an indication that he was looking for underage girls.”

The court heard that entertainer Harris wrote notes in his diary on how to delete his internet browsing history.

He insisted the pictures of youngsters ended up on his computer by mistake.

Meanwhile, a convicted paedophile named Harris as part of a paedophile ring along with Jimmy Savile in 2008. The inmate was behind bars at the time and passed a list of names to his probation officer at Whitemoor Prison, Cambs, but there was not enough evidence to act.

Harris will be advised to take part in a sex offenders’ treatment programme at Wandsworth Prison, South London. Criminal justice expert Harry Fletcher said: “He is likely to be moved to open conditions within months and will be asked to take art classes.”