Rolf Harris was a "tactile" man who hugged everyone he met but never acted inappropriately, a London court has been told.
A string of character witnesses on Tuesday defended the embattled entertainer who is charged with assaulting four girls in the UK between 1968 and 1986.
He's also been accused of harassing another six women in Australia, New Zealand and Malta.
But long-time friends say that's not the man they know and love.
Choreographer Douglas Squires told Southwark Crown Court he'd worked with Harris for decades and they were often surrounded backstage by beautiful dancers in various states of undress.
But the man who gave the world the wobble board "never showed any voyeuristic tendencies", Mr Squires said. Harris's hugs weren't sexual and his behaviour was never inappropriate.
"He was very tactile - we all were," Mr Squires said.
"He was like that with everybody young and old."
The choreographer, who created the Young Generation and Next Generation dance troupes, said people loved it when they were hugged by a star.
He told the court that during his 60 years in the industry he'd seen some touch people's bottoms in a "friendly way" - which was accepted - but he'd "never" seen Harris do that.
Another character witness, Jo Charles, knew Harris from the late 1960s onwards because her father Don was managed by the same agent.
He also ran a club in Malta where a woman claims Harris assaulted her in 1970 when she was 18.
Ms Charles on Tuesday told the court she'd "never" seen the Australian act inappropriately towards anyone.
"He's lovely, he's gentle and kind and a real softy," the witness said.
"He's very, very tactile, he's a great hugger, he'd give big bear hugs. A lovely, lovely man."
Ms Charles, being questioned by defence lawyer Sonia Woodley QC, said the hugs were "absolutely not" sexual and couldn't be described as "groping".
Harris "never" touched her breasts or bottom.
Ms Charles said Harris would even "throw his arms around guys to welcome them".
When she was older he would make comments such as "Aren't you a curvy girl" and "You've got lovely curves".
But Ms Charles didn't mind because it was done in a warm rather than lurid way.
She described Harris as eccentric and spontaneous. He'd make funny noises at dinner or burst into song. "He's very, very unusual," the family friend said.
The witness, who became good friends with Harris's daughter Bindi, said the entertainer showed "no interest" in another of Bindi's friends who alleges the star abused her from the age of 13.
Asked by prosecutor Sasha Wass QC about Harris's claim he actually had a 10-year consensual affair with her, Ms Charles said: "It's a terribly sad thing but as far as I saw it, it was his private life that had nothing to do with me."
Anne Marie Eve also gave evidence on Tuesday. Her family were neighbours of the Harris's in Bray west of London.
Ms Eve told the court Harris would envelop everyone he met in a big hug including her physician father.
Hugging both females and males was "two ends of the tactile spectrum", she said.
She admitted she found it irritating when Harris would joke "When are you going to marry me?" but insisted the Australian entertainer had never tried to grope her when she was a girl.
Harris denies 12 counts of indecent assault.
Justice Nigel Sweeney on Tuesday told the jury he expected the defence would wrap its case by Thursday.
Closing speeches and the judge's summing up are likely early next week with the jury then retiring mid-week to consider its verdict.
Share
