Rolf Harris arrested over sex offences.

[Wolf Hawkfield no1 NZ poster]

Australian entertainer, Rolf Harris was reportedly arrested in March, in relation to sex abuse claims. Photo / Getty Images
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Australian entertainer, Rolf Harris was reportedly arrested in March, in relation to sex abuse claims. Photo / Getty Images

Rolf Harris has been sensationally arrested by police investigating allegations of sexual abuse following the Jimmy Savile scandal.

The veteran entertainer - who serenaded the Queen with the song Two Little Boys at her Diamond Jubilee concert last year - was interviewed by detectives from Scotland Yard's Operation Yewtree.

Harris, 83, became the 11th man to be detained over the controversial inquiry which critics say has turned into a 'celebrity witch-hunt'.

He was first interviewed - but not arrested - over alleged sex offences last November after attending a police station by appointment.

But on March 28 police took the decision to formally arrest him over the allegations, just two days before his 83rd birthday.

While he has been named widely online the national media had not named him until The Sun did so today.

Scotland Yard said: 'An 82-year-old man from Berkshire was arrested by officers on Operation Yewtree on suspicion of sexual offences. He has been bailed to a date in May pending further enquiries. The individual falls under the strand of the investigation we have termed "others".'

Australian-born Harris, a much-loved national institution who was made a CBE in the 2006 Queen's birthday honours list, is the biggest name to be held in connection with the Yewtree inquiry following the arrests of pop star Gary Glitter, comedian Freddie Starr, DJ Dave Lee Travis, publicist Max Clifford and comedian Jim Davidson.

Police gave no details about Harris's alleged sexual offences, but they are thought to be of a historic nature.

Harris is one of Britain's most iconic entertainers. Famed for his catchphrase 'Can you guess what it is yet?' when drawing cartoons, he is a musician, a singer-songwriter, a composer and a painter, as well as a television presenter and his career has spanned six decades, most notably at the BBC where he presented Animal Hospital from 1994 to 2004.

At last summer's Diamond Jubilee concert at Buckingham Palace, he led the crowd - including Princess Anne - in an impromptu rendition of Two Little Boys, his 1969 Christmas No. 1 hit. He is also famed for his 1957 song 'Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport'.

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I've been waiting for this to be made official as last month I read an article that said that a well known 82 year old Australian entertainer living In England has been arrested for such matters but had name suppression. But it was bloody obvious that it was Rolf Harris because they aren't many 82 year old Australian entertainers not named Rolf Harris living there.

Now that the cat is out of the bag, If the allegations against him are true than that is very distributing as growing up my image of Harris was this incredibly jovial man who sold paint on the TV and wrote children books that were popular in New Zealand.

[Eunös ✈]

This is very disappointing news

A guy I grew up watching and even met him in Earls Court one year.

ouch >.<

[4real]

Man I hope this isn't true. This sucks

[J is Justice]

Dammit

[Optimax]

I really hope it isn't true, pretty shattering need considering he seems such a genuine caring gentlemen

If it is though, I much prefer that he faces a consequence living unlike saville the filthy worm

[El Cokehead del Knife Fight]

Rolf.... why?

[BorneAgain]

Guess it wasn't kangaroos getting tied down, sport.

[mattyc]

I heard the rumours regarding Rolf being arrested late last year and I hoped it was nothing more than just rumour.

I really hope he's found innocent as I've always liked Rolf and to think such a figure of innocence from my childhood would do such things would be hurtful.

None of the arrests or allegations made so far have shocked me, this arrest of Rolf is the first to do so.

[Hawk Hart]

Holy shit, what must you do for the police to describe the crimes as "of a historic nature."?!

[Legion]

Yeah, this is just becoming a witch hunt now.

Every person arrested just makes me doubt each case more and more.

Rolf, nah, sorry, I just dont believe. Not at all. And will not until his accuser brings him to an actual trial where they are formally questioned and better have evidence to back it up.

[ZERO]

Apr 19, 2013 9:41:19 GMT -5 mattyc said:

I heard the rumours regarding Rolf being arrested late last year and I hoped it was nothing more than just rumour.

I really hope he's found innocent as I've always liked Rolf and to think such a figure of innocence from my childhood would do such things would be hurtful.

None of the arrests or allegations made so far have shocked me, this arrest of Rolf is the first to do so.

I agree with all of this. I don't want this to be true.

[Bo Rida]

Apr 19, 2013 12:37:23 GMT -5 Legion said:

Yeah, this is just becoming a witch hunt now.

Every person arrested just makes me doubt each case more and more.

Rolf, nah, sorry, I just dont believe. Not at all. And will not until his accuser brings him to an actual trial where they are formally questioned and better have evidence to back it up.

Yeah I feel the same way, is there anywhere that specifically says what Rolf was arrested for other that the vague "sexual offences"?
I think it was Jim Davidson that was arrested for groping two women in their 20s decades ago, even if he is guilty it's hardly in the same league as Saville's offences so I think mentioning them in the same breath as him is wrong.
Throw in the lack of charges, long bail, creepy dawn raids (what do they expect to find?) it all seems off.

If any of these do get to court it makes you wonder how they'll get a fair trial when jurors are likely to be swayed by Saville or the more spurious arrests.

Apr 19, 2013 10:09:42 GMT -5 Hawk Hart said:

Holy shit, what must you do for the police to describe the crimes as "of a historic nature."?!

Not sure if you're serious but they been historic as in they took place a long time ago.

[Hit Girl]

They should play it safe and just arrest every celebrity who was alive in the 1960's and 1970's

[DiBiase is Good]

I really think there should be some law against naming these people before they've been given a trial. They could be completely innocent, yet there will always be that accusation.
If they're guilty, then they deserve what they get but if innocent, it's really unfair. I loathe Jim Davidson, I think he's a racist, bigoted, homophobic arsehole. But should he be declared not guilty, the stigma of being accused will never disappear and that is grossly unfair.
I don't think that super-injunctions are a good thing and I'm aware it is contradictory to say they shouldn't be named in certain situations but there has to be some sort of balance.

[TK The Friendly Robot]

Apr 19, 2013 12:37:23 GMT -5 Legion said:

Yeah, this is just becoming a witch hunt now.

Every person arrested just makes me doubt each case more and more.

Rolf, nah, sorry, I just dont believe. Not at all. And will not until his accuser brings him to an actual trial where they are formally questioned and better have evidence to back it up.

I feel exactly the same way.

[Mozenrath]

Apr 19, 2013 15:39:43 GMT -5 DiBiase is Good said:

I really think there should be some law against naming these people before they've been given a trial. They could be completely innocent, yet there will always be that accusation.
If they're guilty, then they deserve what they get but if innocent, it's really unfair. I loathe Jim Davidson, I think he's a racist, bigoted, homophobic arsehole. But should he be declared not guilty, the stigma of being accused will never disappear and that is grossly unfair.
I don't think that super-injunctions are a good thing and I'm aware it is contradictory to say they shouldn't be named in certain situations but there has to be some sort of balance.

Craig Charles said something to this effect after his rape allegations.

[Wolf Hawkfield no1 NZ poster]

Apr 19, 2013 15:39:43 GMT -5 DiBiase is Good said:

I really think there should be some law against naming these people before they've been given a trial. They could be completely innocent, yet there will always be that accusation.
If they're guilty, then they deserve what they get but if innocent, it's really unfair. I loathe Jim Davidson, I think he's a racist, bigoted, homophobic arsehole. But should he be declared not guilty, the stigma of being accused will never disappear and that is grossly unfair.
I don't think that super-injunctions are a good thing and I'm aware it is contradictory to say they shouldn't be named in certain situations but there has to be some sort of balance.

Well there are laws like this in New Zealand where either the accused or accusers can apply for name suppression. But a few years ago there was public outrage when a comedian got it when he was accused of molesting his four year old daughter and then some idiot blogger who wanted to to be a hero caused a massive legal shitstorm when he blurted out who it was on his blog.

Apr 19, 2013 12:37:23 GMT -5 Legion said:

Yeah, this is just becoming a witch hunt now.

Every person arrested just makes me doubt each case more and more.

Rolf, nah, sorry, I just dont believe. Not at all. And will not until his accuser brings him to an actual trial where they are formally questioned and better have evidence to back it up.

Can't help but feel that as well, hell the guy who was quoted at the end of the article that I linked in the OP made a valid point that the police might be trying to save face because they didn't stop Savile when he was alive.

[Futureraven: Beelzebruv]

As long as it's not Treguard or Terry Wogan next.

[ThereIsNoAbsurdistOnlyZuul]

Apr 19, 2013 10:09:42 GMT -5 Hawk Hart said:

Holy shit, what must you do for the police to describe the crimes as "of a historic nature."?!

In the past. Probably. Or... perhaps he attempted whoopee with the Queen and we weren't aware of it?

[Hawk Hart]

Apr 19, 2013 14:38:47 GMT -5 Bo Rida said:

Apr 19, 2013 12:37:23 GMT -5 Legion said:

Yeah, this is just becoming a witch hunt now.

Every person arrested just makes me doubt each case more and more.

Rolf, nah, sorry, I just dont believe. Not at all. And will not until his accuser brings him to an actual trial where they are formally questioned and better have evidence to back it up.

Yeah I feel the same way, is there anywhere that specifically says what Rolf was arrested for other that the vague "sexual offences"?
I think it was Jim Davidson that was arrested for groping two women in their 20s decades ago, even if he is guilty it's hardly in the same league as Saville's offences so I think mentioning them in the same breath as him is wrong.
Throw in the lack of charges, long bail, creepy dawn raids (what do they expect to find?) it all seems off.

If any of these do get to court it makes you wonder how they'll get a fair trial when jurors are likely to be swayed by Saville or the more spurious arrests.

Apr 19, 2013 10:09:42 GMT -5 Hawk Hart said:

Holy shit, what must you do for the police to describe the crimes as "of a historic nature."?!

Not sure if you're serious but they been historic as in they took place a long time ago.

It was a joke.