Irish Daily Mirror

Young adults have an ear for older hits

»»Paedophile visited by officers »»Blasted by alleged former victim

- BY STEPHEN BEECH BY AMY-CLARE MARTIN amyclare.martin@mirror.co.uk

Debbie Harry MILLENNIAL­S know pop songs made before they were born better than recent chart-toppers, a study has revealed.

Examples include Percy Sledge’s 1966 song When a Man Loves a Woman and Blondie’s The Tide Is High from 1980.

Volunteers with an average age of 21.3 listened to catchy “hooks” from random US No1s released between 1940 and 2015.

Researcher­s found they recognised songs from 1960 to 1999 more often than hits from 1940 to 1959 and 2000 to 2015.

Study author Dr Pascal Wallisch, from New York University, said: “The 1960s to 1990s was a special time in music, reflected by a steady recognitio­n of pieces of that era, even by today’s millennial­s.” Harris outside his home yesterday PAEDOPHILE Rolf Harris has been visited by police and given “advice” after he entered a primary school and waved at children in classes.

And two men, believed to be the same probation workers who dropped the entertaine­r off when he was first released from prison in May 2017, paid Harris a visit yesterday afternoon.

Police community support officers were also seen outside the school as children arrived yesterday morning.

Meanwhile, one of his alleged victims has blasted the 88-year-old ex-con’s behaviour. Karen Gardner has waived her right to anonymity to speak out against Harris – who was jailed for five years and nine months, in 2014, for 12 indecent assaults on four teenage girls.

Karen, 57, said: “Mr Harris continues to pursue his life without acknowledg­ing the harm he did to girls and young women, and this behaviour doesn’t surprise me. All the publicity attributed to him suggests he doesn’t acknowledg­e or wish to understand what he’s done.

“If he made steps to do that, it would be a great positive step for all those who’ve suffered abuse.”

Karen has alleged Harris assaulted her, aged 16, in 1977. He was charged with indecently assaulting her, but was acquitted after the jury failed to reach a verdict in 2017. He faced two counts at a retrial later the same year, but the jury again failed to reach a verdict.

The Mirror revealed how Harris was reported to police after he was told to leave Oldfield Primary School, in Bray, Berks, on Tuesday, by the headteache­r, who spotted him on school grounds.

A passer-by said Harris was speaking to a sculptor working on site and waved at children through the window, who waved back.

Police said they had spoken to Harris in person and “given advice”. A spokesman said: “A

Karen Gardner report was made that a man was on the site of the school. An officer attended the scene but no offence was committed.

“No arrests were made and advice has been given to the man involved.”

The Ministry of Justice confirmed it was investigat­ing and would take “appropriat­e action”.

It is not clear if Harris breached the terms of his licence. An MOJ spokesman said: “When sex offenders are released, they are subject to strict licence conditions and are liable to be returned to custody for breaching them.”

Yesterday, the disgraced former entertaine­r refused to respond to journalist­s after he was seen leaving the river-front house he shares with wife Alwen Hughes, near the school.

One parent said Harris visiting the school left them feeling “uneasy”. They said: “What was he doing there? I don’t think his excuse is effective enough.”

 ??  ?? STONEY FACED FEARS Our exclusive photo of Harris pictured in the grounds of the primary school on Tuesday
STONEY FACED FEARS Our exclusive photo of Harris pictured in the grounds of the primary school on Tuesday
 ??  ?? RECOGNITIO­N
RECOGNITIO­N
 ??  ??
 ??  ?? VISIT Probation officers at Harris’s home
VISIT Probation officers at Harris’s home
 ??  ?? PRESENCE Officers at school yesterday
PRESENCE Officers at school yesterday

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