Rolf Harris found guilty of indecent assault

Veteran entertainer and artist Rolf Harris is facing prison after being found guilty of indecent assault following a trial in which he was portrayed as a "Jekyll and Hyde" character who used his celebrity status to grope and abuse young women and girls.

Following a dramatic six-week hearing, the jury at Southwark crown court convicted Harris of 12 counts of indecent assault, from 12 initial charges dating over nearly two decades from 1968.

The judge, Mr Justice Sweeney, said the entertainer would be sentenced on Friday, pending medical reports, and warned Harris a jail term was "uppermost in the court's mind". Harris will remain on unconditional bail until Friday.

Speaking outside the court, DCI Mick Orchard of the Metropolitan Police Service said: "[Harris] committed many offences in plain sight of people as he thought his celebrity status placed him above the law."

"I want to thank the women who came forward for their bravery, I hope today's guilty verdict will give them closure and help them to begin to move on with their lives."

"Today's case and verdict once again shows that we will always listen to, and investigate allegations regardless of the time frame or those involved."

The prosecution presented the 84-year-old Australian-born star as an arrogant and reckless serial molester who treated his victims as "sexual objects to be groped and mauled when he felt like it".

"He targeted fans who were mesmerised by his fame and talents," the prosecution QC, Sasha Wass, told the jury. "He was a children's entertainer and they were beguiled by his singing and painting. And the penalty of their admiration was to suffer sexual assault."