Disgraced entertainer and sex offender Rolf Harris dies aged 93

By Kerri-Ann Roper and Charlotte McLaughlin, PA Entertainment Reporters

Disgraced entertainer and convicted sex offender Rolf Harris has died aged 93, a registrar at Maidenhead Town Hall has confirmed to the PA news agency.

The Australian-born TV presenter was a family favourite for decades before being convicted of a string of indecent assaults in June 2014.

These included one on an eight-year-old autograph hunter, two on girls in their early teens and a catalogue of abuse against his daughter’s friend over 16 years.

Once a much-loved artist and musician, Harris was jailed for five years and nine months after being convicted of 12 assaults which took place between 1968 and 1986.

Sex offences

In May 2017, he was formally cleared of four unconnected historical sex offences, which he had denied.

Later the same year, one of the 12 indecent assault convictions was overturned by the Court of Appeal.

Harris was released on licence from HMP Stafford on May 19 2017, less than three years after his sentence began.

At the time, Harris – whose parents were both Welsh – was the biggest celebrity scalp to be claimed by detectives from high-profile sex crime investigation Operation Yewtree.

He was the second person convicted under the national inquiry, set up in the wake of abuse claims against late DJ and entertainer Jimmy Savile.

In light of his conviction, Harris had his 2012 Bafta fellowship removed and was stripped of his CBE. He also had Australian honours taken away.

He was made an MBE in the 1960s, OBE a decade later and CBE in 2006 – the year after he painted the late queen’s 80th birthday portrait.

The decision to revoke an honour, which can be recommended by the Honours and Appointments Secretariat to the Forfeiture Committee, must be approved by the sovereign.