Rolf not guilty of assaults

DISGRACED former TV star Rolf Harris has walked free after he was found not guilty of four sexual assault charges when a jury could not reach a verdict.

It was the second jury to fail to reach agreement on allegations Harris molested three teenage girls between 1971 and 1983.

British prosecutors considered whether to pursue the charges but told the court they would not seek a new trial.

“We have reviewed whether it would be appropriate to seek a further retrial on these allegations,” Jonathan Rees QC told the court. “We have come to the view that it would not.”

Judge Deborah Taylor then entered a verdict of not guilty and released Harris.

The jury of seven women and five men were earlier dismissed by Justice Taylor when they could not reach agreement on the charges after only five hours of deliberations.

After the jury revealed they were split the judge asked if they could reach agreement with a majority of 10 but was told this was not possible.

Harris thanked his supporters and expressed relief at the verdict in a statement read by his lawyer outside the court.

“While I am pleased this is finally over, I feel no sense of victory just relief,” he said.

Harris was accompanied by his niece Jenny who has watched the trial.

At a trial that finished in February, another jury was also unable to reach a verdict on three charges relating to the same allegations.

The 87-year-old former children’s entertainer was released from Stafford Prison last month where he had been serving time for 12 other convictions of indecent assault.

He was released less than three years into a sentence of five years and nine months handed down in June 2014.

Harris did not give evidence and his lawyers told the court he did not remember meeting the women.