Rolf Harris arrives at court for trial

Veteran entertainer Rolf Harris has arrived at court where he is due to stand trial over a string of indecent assaults.

The 84-year-old, accompanied by his suited security team and wife Alwen, was ushered into London’s Southwark Crown Court shortly after 9am.

Harris is accused of assaulting four females, the youngest of whom was seven or eight and the oldest 19, between 1968 and 1986, which he denies.

Jury selection is expected to begin today, and the prosecution case to open later in the week.

Mr Harris, from Bray, Berkshire, is facing 12 counts of indecent assault, to which he entered not guilty pleas at the same court at a hearing in January.

His trial, being heard in front of Mr Justice Sweeney, is expected to take more than six weeks.

Mr Harris, who painted a portrait of the queen in 2005 and performed at her Diamond Jubilee concert last year, has been in the public eye for decades.

He had his first musical hit Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport in 1960, and continued to enjoy success in the industry as well as forging a television career.

Mr Harris, who has lived in the village of Bray for more than 50 years, has also received a number of honours and was made Officer of the Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2012.

PA