Rolf Harris Trial Verdict

[Jomlett]

Rolf Harris Guilty on all charges

[ummmm]

If you knew him personally I'd understand your reluctance to believe he's a paedophile. But you don't know him...you have only seen a TV persona.

When I was in Glasto a few years back the crowd behind me were shouting 'wife beater' when he was stage.

They knew something I didn't!

(ps...I wasn't stopped to watch him, I was waiting while my OH used the loo before moving on to watch a decent act)

[jackthehat]

Is it any wonder victims are so reluctant to come forwards when there are attitudes like those on display here that they have to overcome in addition to their own 'shame'?

[mikey4444]

JNO...not true that most didn't know about Savile and Smith. Both were investigated by the Police on many occasions and both were not charged because of interference from above. In the case of Smith, the investigation by Lancashire Police was stopped when Special Branch raided the offices of the Policemen doing the investigation, and all the files were taken away, never to be seen again. Yes, thats right.....one branch of the Police raided another branch of the Police ! Read the book on Cyril Smith...it will make your hair stand on end.

Many people in the world of entertainment knew about Savile but decided not to do anything because it might jeopardize their careers, at the BBC, the Police, and elsewhere.

Al it takes for evil to triumph, is for good men to do nothing. Men, and women, in legions did nothing, especially with Savile and were therefore complicit in all the abuse that followed. Perhaps Leon Brittan would now like to explain why he did nothing about an extensive dossier that he was given on child abuse when he was Home Secretary in the 80's. I think I know the answer but I would love to hear it from him !

[mikey4444]

Jom...thanks for my Best Answer. I am determined that we will all get to the bottom of this, and if it fills the Courts with worried looking celebs...well ...so be it !

[inksplotter]

Is it in the public interest to look into Leonard Rossiter further, for instance?

[mikey4444]

If there is enough evidence to warrant an inquiry, then well ...yes inksplotter ....faint heart never won fair woman !

[catswhiskas]

Reading these posts with interest, Do you think Rolfs wife knew what he was up too? and what about the daughter, why are they standing up for him. Max Cliffords wife is divorcing him.....

[jno]

mikey, you've worked your way down from "everyone" to "most" to "legions". You're going to have to move a lot further, though. It sounds as if a small minority knew about them. Did you?

[ummmm]

Cats....I doubt they knew.

[jno]

catswhiskas, probably not; they stood up for him because, I imagine, they didn't believe the charges and felt they should stand by a family member. I'd probably do the same. Whether Mrs Harris will follow Mrs Clifford, I don't know; maybe.

[mikey4444]

No I didn't but its rather a daft question isn't it jno ? I didn't work for the BBC, nor was a serving Police Officer informed of Savile's actions. If I had of known, then I would most certainly have informed the authorities, and if they took no action, I would have gone to the press.

[Jomlett]

Cats: and what about the daughter, why are they standing up for him.

The daughter, in an 2012 email read in court asked how much he was going to leave her! Her daily presence at the court proves she got an answer!

[jno]

hardly a daft question when you announced that EVERYBODY knew. Everybody didn't. Hardly anybody did. Exaggerating like that just muddies the water. It appears quite a few people who worked with him knew and for whatever reason didn't report it - mainly, it seems, because they thought nobody would believe them. Since some people did report Savile, and weren't believed, I suspect they were right.

[mikey4444]

I may be guilty of some hyperbole on this subject, for which I offer no apology. Bbut my guilt is nothing compared to all the people that knew and had evidence but didn't come forward and make themselves known. This included the Police, and the precursor of the CPS, that semi-investigated Savile and Smith and still did nothing.

This kind of abuse is almost certainly still going on, and unless we pursue the suspects with every vigour, it will continue to happen. Sexual abuse ruins childrens lives and continues to do long after those kids have grown up. One thing that Danczuk says in his book which was particularly poignant was the incidences of grown men, in their 50's giving evidence to him of events that happened many years ago and how those grown men broke down in tears describing what was done to them.

[inksplotter]

I have a feeling Rossiter is guilty, but unless there's an estate I believe it would be tricky for the courts to take it anywhere.

[hc4361]

Don't know what having an estate has to do with anything.

I could never understand why those stars who were well known for sexual abuse were never brought to account - all dead now. Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey, Frankie Howerd, Sid James to name just a few.

[ummmm]

How do you know that, hc?