Jury chosen in Rolf Harris indecency trial

Rolf Harris is set to face a six-week trial on indecent assault charges following the selection of a jury in a London court.

Rolf Harris

Rolf Harris Source: EPA

A jury has been selected for the London trial of Rolf Harris on charges of indecently assaulting women and girls between 1971 and 2004.

The 86-year-old entertainer appeared in the Southwark Crown Court by video link on Monday to watch the selection of seven women and five men for the trial, which is expected to last six weeks.

The jury is set to be sworn in on Wednesday when the Crown will open its case.

Harris, who was wearing a dark suit and tie, has pleaded not guilty to seven charges of indecent assault and one alternative charge of sexual assault.

The offences were allegedly committed between 1971 and 2004 and relate to seven female complainants who were aged between 12 and 27 at the time.

Judge Alistair McCreath last month granted Harris leave to appear by video link on the grounds of his age and state of health.

The judge told jury members on Monday that the courts were finally waking up to living in a digital world.

"We can very happily try Mr Harris without him having to be here. He is not a young man and it makes a lot of sense for him to attend his trial remotely."

Judge McCreath urged jurors not to undertake their own research on Harris and only assess the evidence presented in court to avoid a "dysfunctional, corrupt trial" tainted by outside evidence "that may not be truthful or accurate".

The judge instructed jurors as they were selected to pause in front of the camera so Harris could see them.

"Anyone has the right to see the jurors who are to try him so he can let us know if he knows them," Judge McCreath said.

It's expected that more than 100 witnesses will give evidence at the trial.

Three of the charges against Harris relate to alleged indecent assaults on girls aged under 14 and one relates to an alleged indecent assault on a disabled woman outside a London hospital in 1977.


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Source: AAP



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