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Rolf Harris released from prison to face indecent assault trial

Harris is set to front court on charges he groped teenage girls.
Rolf Harris has been released from prison on bail to face trial for indecent assault.

Rolf Harris was released from prison yesterday on bail as he faces trial on charges of indecent assault.

The 87-year-old entertainer has been serving time in Stafford Prison for previous convictions from 2014.

Harris’ release from prison is to allow him to attend a London jury trial in person on four indecent assault charges involving three women.

The three women have accused Harris of groping them when they were teenagers in 1971, 1978 and 1983.

The trial is being heard at Southwark Crown Court, London. Photo: Getty Images

AAP reports the trial, which has been in progress for a week now, heard testimony from one of the complainants who alleges she was groped by Harris when she was a teenager.

The woman, now in her mid-40s, told the court Harris’ groped her breast at the BBC television centre when she was 13.

After the shocking incident she said Harris said to her: “Do you often get molested on a Saturday morning?”

The woman told the court she told her sister, who had attended the event with her in 1983, what had happened with Harris but that her sister had been quite dismissive.

She said she’d also gotten a similar response from her parents when she told them later that night.

The woman said that while the incident had haunted her for many years, it wasn’t until after Harris was convicted at his first trial she thought she might be able to bring charges against him.

The jury were told ahead of the woman’s testimony that the judge had approved a bail application allowing Harris to front at court in person.

Judge Deborah Taylor told the jury granting bail to Harris should have no impact on their decisions on current charges.

It was also ruled the court would not sit on Friday as Harris went through his release.

“He will be attending what remains of this trial in person from Monday next week, the judge said.

Harris has appeared via video-link from Stafford Prison for the first week of his trial due his health and age.

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