Rolf Harris has been charged

[TensionWheelsCoolHeels]

Can't link as on phone but just got a news flash saying he's been charged with 9 counts of indecent assault, and 4 to do with indecent images.

[mignonette]

Well he is innocent until proven guilty but as I have said, good that both sides can put their case.

[JumpingJackSprat]

Sooo there hasnt been a trial or a guilty verdict. charged doesnt mean guilty.

[bootsycollins]

I get so pissed off at the "it was a different world back then" shite pedlars

[MissBracegirdle]

No he isn't guilty, but how many counts is it? I am glad he will be prosecuted and if innocent, well so be it.

[bootsycollins]

Innocent until proven guilty but there's enough evidence for him to be charged with very serious offences.

[Clargo55]

Me too Bootsy.

[KatyPutTheCuttleOn]

If he has done it then, well, there aren't words for it. I hope that all this is teaching younger people that there is no point in looking up to celebrities as it is now coming out that so many are alleged to have abused others and some have been charged including some that today's teenagers will look up to and respect.

[mignonette]

Yes but it is legally very dubious to discuss this as though he is guilty and will prejudice the case. Maybe this thread should be deleted because of how it is going?

[MissBracegirdle]

I found out that a family friend was a tv producer on some of the shows which starred people who were being investigated last year.

Talking to dh, I put it out there that the people who were working on the programmes needed to take a long hard look at why they didn't speak up, and that I wouldn't be looking at this man in the same light again.

DH was furious with me. He is firmly of the 'it was different then' school of thought.

[bootsycollins]

It's fucking sickening, I'm wondering whose gonna come out of the woodwork next

Those poor girls who have carried this around with them for all these years.

[LaurieFairyCake]

If he's guilty I'm genuinely saddened as I love his art work.

[ChippingInNeedsSleepAndCoffee]

The images last year sounds like an odd thing.

[Rooners]

I am so sorry but all I can think of in terms of him creating indecent images is him drawing some cartoon obscenity on a kangaroo while saying 'can you guess what it is yet?'

This is awful, I know. I shall not comment further, I am very very sorry for anyone affected by this man or any other. It's very sad to think he could have done bad stuff.

[ExitPursuedByABear]

It was the making of indecent images last year that finally did it for me.

[hagle]

"My cousin used to work for a publishing house, she caught Rolf staring at her arse when he came to the office about his book."

I don't think that is evidence of a man being a paedophile!

[bootsycollins]

There's gonna be lots of digeredoo based jokes doing the rounds

[AmberLeaf]

He was the one that I was most surprised to hear about.

I agree that it is best to say nothing about this in case of influencing the outcome of the court case.

[bootsycollins]

I didn't say it was evidence of a man being a paedophile

[CiderBomb]

I'm fucking speechless about this. Always though that Jimmy Savile was dirt old creep, but Rolf! I can't believe it!

[Rooners]

Yes and I am sorry to bring 'humour' into the thread at all - I hate those sorts of jokes. I want to say I didn't intend it like that - it's just so hard to imagine him out of the familiar context iykwim?

I believe the person who was 14 and the person who was 15 and 16. God knows the creepy men I've put up with over the years - I was lucky not to have anything more than a glance or an out of place hand to put up with in my teens.

[bootsycollins]

I know, there has never been anything sinister about Rolf.

[Rooners]

Savile was incredibly sinister. Rolf just seemed normal

How old was he in 1986? Could he have been a bit senile or something?

[Rooners]

Sorry - that looks like making excuses. I'd better shut up.

[JumpingJackSprat]

Yes theres charges but if being charged always meant guilty then there would never be any not guilty verdicts now would there?