Father’s rage as Harris ‘molested his daughter’

A FATHER who saw his 14-year- old daughter being sexually abused by Rolf Harris confronted the entertainer and gave him a ‘mouthful’, a court heard yesterday.

The alleged victim, who claims the disgraced star pulled her on to his lap at a youth music festival in 1971 and stuck his hands up her skirt, told yesterday how she ran to her father in tears after the ‘horrendous’ attack.

Southwark Crown Court heard that moments after seeing his daughter being molested in front of scores of other children and parents during the event at the Lyceum Theatre in London, he marched up to Harris, red-faced with rage.

The alleged attack happened in July 1971 when the girl asked Harris for his autograph at the event where he was presenting music awards.

Now in her 60s, the woman, who cannot be named, told jurors: ‘He put his hand up my skirt and then dragged me on to his knee, which was horrendous.’

She claimed her father was incensed after seeing the ‘smirking’ star take advantage of his daughter. She said: ‘I ran to my mum and dad, and my father went and gave him a mouthful.’

A friend of the woman told jurors he saw her crying, and her father ‘red-faced’ with anger. He said: ‘She was with her parents in a state of disgust. She was crying.’ Her father, who has since died, did not report anything to the police, and it was nOt until Harris was jailed in 2014 after being convicted of indecently assaulting four victims as young as eight that she decided to come forward. She said: ‘Obviously it started with Jimmy Savile. I’ve told friends for years, “I know who’s coming next.”’

She denied a suggestion by the 86-year-old’s barrister she might be giving evidence now to seek compensation. She said: ‘That’s not why I have come forward.’

Harris is standing trial via video link from prison after claiming he will be too ‘ill, tired or hungry’ to attend in person.

He denies seven counts of indecent assault and one count of sexual assault against seven complainants as young as 12, who include a blind woman.

The trial continues.