A former British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) entertainer has been found guilty of 12 indecent assaults against four girls.
On Monday, a jury in London convicted Rolf Harris of sexually assaulting the girls, some as young as seven years old, during the 60s, 70s and 80s.
“Rolf Harris used his status and position as a world famous children’s entertainer to sexually assault young girls over a period spanning 18 years,” Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor Jenny Hopkins told reporters.
“The victims in this case have suffered in silence for many years and have only recently found the courage to come forward,” he added.
The 84-year-old former entertainer will remain on bail pending a medical report before his sentencing on Friday.
The latest high profile media scandal in the UK comes on the heels of an investigation showing that disgraced former TV host Jimmy Savile had sexually abused dozens of patients for more than four decades.
According to a report published on June 26, Savile, who had access to multiple hospitals as a celebrity fundraiser, abused both patients and hospital workers. The inquiry was held at 28 different hospitals across the United Kingdom.
The TV host was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II and honored by Pope Benedict for his voluntary work at hospitals. His reputation collapsed after he died in 2011, when hundreds of witnesses and victims came forward, accusing him of sexual abuse.
In January 2013, a report by the police and the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children branded Savile as one of the UK’s most prolific sexual predators who had used his celebrity status to “hide in plain sight.”
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