Entertainer Rolf Harris, 83, has been charged with nine counts of indecent assault on young girls, below the age of 16, and four counts of making indecent images of a child.
Harris is the latest British veteran celebrity to be charged as part of the Operation Yewtree.
The Australian, who has been living in the UK for over 50 years, has been accused of the indecent assault between 1980 and 1986 relating to two victims, who were aged 14 and 15 at the time.
“We have carefully considered the evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police Service as part of Operation Yewtree in relation to Rolf Harris, who was initially arrested on November 29, 2012 over allegations of sexual offences. A file of evidence was passed to the CPS on August 12, 2013,” Alison Saunders, chief Crown prosecutor for CPS London, said on Thursday.
“Having completed our review, we have concluded that there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest for Mr Harris to be charged with nine counts of indecent assault and four of making indecent images of a child. The alleged indecent assaults date from 1980 to 1986 and relate to two complainants aged 14 and 15 at the time of the alleged offending,” Saunders said.
Scotland Yard said Harris was interviewed under caution by officers from Operation Yewtree on 29 November 2012, before being arrested on 28 March 2013 and subsequently bailed to return pending further inquiries.
Berkshire-based Harris is due to appear on bail at Westminster magistrates’ court on September 23. Harris used to present The Rolf Harris Show on BBC and also worked in children’s television.
Harris, who has lived in Bray, Berkshire, for more than 50 years, was awarded an MBE in 1968, an OBE in 1977 and a CBE in 2006, and was made Officer of the Order of Australia in the Queen’s birthday honours list last year.