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False sex allegations against Rolf Harris poisoned the minds of a jury that convicted him of twelve assaults, the High Court heard.

Fresh evidence undermining the accounts of two victims means Harris, 87, did not have a fair trial and the whole case should be overturned, his barrister claims.

The singer and TV presenter was convicted in June 2014 of assaulting an eight-year-old autograph hunter, two teenage girls and abusing his daughter’s friend over 16 years.

His barrister Stephen Vullo said: “The jury had their minds poisoned.”

The new evidence includes testimony from the father of Harris’s youngest victim who said he would not have allowed his daughter to attend a community centre in Portsmouth where the incident is said to have occurred.

(Image: AFP)

It also includes findings that a key witness to the 1969 incident was later found to be a convicted criminal and Walter Mitty character.

The lorry driver falsely claimed he fought in the Korean War despite never having left the UK.

Three Court of Appeal judges reserved their decision to a date to be fixed.

If they rule in favour of Harris all 12 convictions could be quashed.

Harris was jailed for five years and nine months after being convicted of a string of assaults which took place between 1968 and 1986.

The Australian-born television presenter has since been released from that sentence and attended both days of his appeal hearings.