What did Rolf Harris do? How long he was in prison, when he was released from jail, and his crimes explained

Convicted paedophile and former children’s entertainer Rolf Harris has died aged 93.

The Australian-born presenter was reported to have been receiving round-the-clock care following a diagnosis of neck cancer in the months before his death.

In a statement issued by their solicitors, Harris’s family said: “This is to confirm that Rolf Harris recently died peacefully surrounded by family and friends and has now been laid to rest.

“They ask that you respect their privacy. No further comment will be made.”

What did Rolf Harris do?

Harris was jailed in 2014 for 12 indecent assaults, relating to four girls between 1968 and 1986.

He was first arrested in March 2013 as part of the police investigation into sexual abuse allegations known as Operation Yewtree. He was the second person convicted under the national inquiry, set up in the wake of abuse claims against late DJ and entertainer Jimmy Savile.

He stood trial at Southwark Crown Court in May 2014 charged with 12 counts of indecent assault. He was found guilty of them all.

Seven of the 12 charges related to a teenage friend of his daughter’s. Three related to a 15-year-old Australian girl visiting the UK, and the last to an eight-year-old autograph hunter.

Harris was sentenced to five years in prison. Upon his sentencing, Mr Justice Sweeney said Harris had shown “no remorse” for his crimes, adding: “Your reputation now lies in ruins, you have been stripped of your honours but you have no one to blame but yourself.” He served his sentence at HM Prison Stafford.

The disgraced entertainer was released on licence on 19 May 2017, less than three years after his sentence began, and lived away from the public eye. He said after his release: “I’m 87 years old, my wife is in ill health and we simply want to spend our remaining time together in peace.”

Harris was cleared of four unconnected historical sex offences in May 2017, which he had denied. Later the same year, one of the 12 indecent assault convictions was overturned by the Court of Appeal.

Why was Rolf Harris famous?

Before he was exposed as a paedophile and serial sexual predator, Harris was an incredibly popular and well-liked figure in the entertainment industry.

He gained popularity in the UK during the 60s initially for his music, which included hits such as “Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport” and 1969 number one single “Two Little Boys”.

He was also and artist, and later he became a regular on children’s TV, starring in shows such as Rolf’s Cartoon Time, Rolf’s Cartoon Club and Animal Hospital. He appeared several times at Glastonbury Festival.

He was made an MBE in the 1960s, an OBE a decade later and a CBE in 2006 – the year after he painted the late Queen Elizabeth II’s 80th birthday portrait.

In light of his conviction, he had his 2012 Bafta fellowship removed and was stripped of his CBE. He also had Australian honours taken away.