Rolf Harris has requested that he be able to spend his “final years in peace” after a judge declared him not guilty of four indecent assault charges.
The jury in the London trial were unable to agree on a verdict on all four counts, leading Judge Deborah Taylor to formally find Harris not guilty of the charges.
The 87-year-old has been accused of groping three young girls in 1971, 1978, and 1983 when they were aged 14, 16 and 13 respectively.
The prosecution has confirmed they would not seek a further retrial regarding the charges.
After the trial, Harris’ solicitor Daniel Berke read his client’s statement to assembled journalists.
“I am pleased it is finally over. I feel no sense of victory, just relief,” Harris said in the message.
“I am 87 years old with a sick wife and I want to spend my final years in peace.”
Harris also thanked his investigative and legal teams, including Stephen Vullo QC.
“Above all I want to thank my wonderful friends and family who have supported me and Alwen over this difficult period.”
Harris was released from Stafford Prison on May 19 after serving half of his 5 years and 9 months sentence for previous convictions.
Harris has spent the past 60 years living in the UK and shot to fame with his signature instrument, a wobbleboard, and his 1960s hit Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport.
As one of Britain’s best-loved entertainers, he later went on to perform at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Concert in 2012 and painted a portrait of Her Majesty on her 80th birthday in 2006.
