ROLF HARRIS JAILED FOR FIVE YEARS AND NINE MONTHS

Mr Justice Sweeney said Harris had taken advantage of the trust placed in him because of his celebrity status

Rolf Harris guilty

Entertainer Rolf Harris has been jailed for nearly six years for 12 indecent assaults against four girls - including one aged just seven or eight.

Harris, 84, who was found guilty of offences that took place between 1968 and 1986, was told by the judge he had "no-one to blame but himself".

Mr Justice Sweeney said Harris had taken advantage of his celebrity status and had shown "no remorse".

One victim said the abuse had taken away her "childhood innocence".

Harris's sentence of five years and nine months has already been referred to the Attorney General's Office under the "unduly lenient sentence scheme".

A spokesman for the office said it "only takes one person to trigger the process", and the sentence must be considered within 28 days for possible referral to the Court of Appeal.

The judge said Harris had "clearly got a thrill from committing some of these offences" against the four girls, one of whom who was just seven or eight.

The other victims were two young teenagers and a childhood friend of Harris's daughter Bindi, whom he abused between the ages of 13 and 19.

The judge said the assaults resulted in her suffering panic attacks, anxiety and led to her becoming an alcoholic, saying she had "suffered severe psychological harm".

Speaking after sentencing, she said the jail term was "immaterial".

"I feel fine, I think the guilty verdict was actually what I wanted, what I went to court for," she said.

She added: "I do hope that women will come forward now, celebrity or not."

Before Harris was jailed, prosecutors said he would not stand trial over allegations he had downloaded sexual images of children.

They had claimed Harris had indecent images of children, as part of a larger collection of adult pornography, but decided it was not in the public interest to prosecute him.

Harris is likely to serve half the sentence in prison and was told he would not have to pay compensation to his victims. However, the judge said he could have to pay the costs of the prosecution.

'Impassive'

Two of Harris's victims were in court for the sentencing, which saw members of the press and public fill the public gallery and watch from an overspill court via a video feed.

BBC correspondent David Sillito, who was in court, said Harris had displayed no emotion as he was sentenced.

"It was as he has been for the last eight weeks - impassive, staring ahead," he said.

The queue outside court two began to form at 07:45 BST - more than two hours before the hearing was due to begin. When the affable court usher, Billy, unlocked the door, it was not quite a stampede, but it was not pretty.

Two journalists immediately sat in seats reserved for the Harris support team. They refused to budge until told that the media could occupy the 12 jury seats as none of the jurors had taken up the opportunity to return for sentencing.

Another 30 people were sent off to an overspill court where they witnessed proceedings on a video feed.

Rolf Harris had started his final journey to Southwark in a boat from his house on the Thames, in Bray, Berkshire, but he arrived as usual in a car.

His daughter Bindi was with him but there was no sign of his frail wife, Alwen.

Perhaps in contrast to his mood, he wore a jazzy, multi-coloured tie and a light grey suit.

He had brought with him a similarly bright suitcase with a stripy design. Harris knew he would be going to prison. The only question was for how long.

He had been allowed to stay seated, but was told to stand as Mr Justice Sweeney announced that he would be jailed for five years and nine months.

There was no visible reaction from him or his relatives who were in court as he was led to the cells by two dock security officers.

As the judge said, Harris's reputation lay in ruins and he had no-one to blame but himself.

Peter Watt, director of national services at the NSPCC, said: "This sentence reflects the seriousness of his crimes and hopefully those he preyed upon can finally find some peace. It sends a message that no one is untouchable and justice can come at any time.

He added that the disgraced entertainer had treated the court case like "just another performance".

Alan Collins, of law firm Slater and Gordon, told the BBC his firm had been contacted in "recent days" by people making new allegations against Harris.

He said the calls had come from both the UK and overseas, and lawyers would meet the complainants in the coming days.

'Haunted'

Earlier, the court heard impact statements from the four victims, including from the childhood friend of Harris's daughter.

Reading out the statement, prosecutor Esther Schutzer-Weissman said the abuse had "haunted" the victim and left her feeling "dirty, grubby and disgusting".

The statement from the victim who had been seven or eight said the abuse had taken away her "childhood innocence".

Harris indecently assaulted a waitress at a charity event in Cambridge when she was aged 13 or 14, who said the star had "treated me like a toy".