Rolf Harris. Photograph by Zuzanna Neziri
Television personality Rolf Harris has been questioned by police over historical sexual offence allegations in the ongoing “Operation Yewtree” investigation.
Harris was interviewed under caution at a police station in November last year after attending the station by appointment. On 28th March, the entertainer was arrested and has been bailed until May.
Operation Yewtree was set up in the wake of the widespread claims of sexual abuse by Jimmy Savile publicly surfaced after his death in 2011. People fear that there were other similar cases involving high profile figures and media personalities over the years that had been left uninvestigated.
The police have not formally identified Harris, instead describing him as “Yewtree 5”, but his identity was known to media organisations since November, with The Sun first to publicly name him in today’s morning edition.
Although the media were aware of Mr Harris’s name in November, they chose only to report that an 82-year-old man had been questioned. His name was first reported by the Sun on its website and later editions of the newspaper on Friday.
Harris is one of twelve people arrested to date under Operation Yewtree, and is yet to offer any public comment on the accusations.
The operation is divided into three sections: the actions of Jimmy Savile; allegations against “Savile and others”; and other unrelated allegations made by members of the public after the widespread coverage of the Savile affair in the media.
