Rolf Harris: Australian PM Tony Abbott 'Dismayed' at Disgraced Entertainer as More Honours Stripped

Australia's prime minister has said he is "dismayed" by Rolf Harris following his conviction for a string of indecent assaults dating back to the 1960s.

The veteran entertainer is facing jail after he was found guilty of 12 counts of indecent assault against four who were aged between seven and 19 at the time the offences occurred between 1968 and 1986.

Police are also considering whether to investigate further allegations against Harris which emerged during the trial, some of which are alleged to have taken place in his native Australia.

Speaking after he found guilty at Southwark Crown Court, Australia's prime minster Tony Abbott said he was "gutted and dismayed" by Harris's actions.

"It's very important that we do everything we humanly can to protect vulnerable young people," he told ABC radio.

"It's a terrible, terrible business."

He added: "Sexual abuse is an utterly abhorrent crime ... and it's just sad and tragic that this person, who was widely admired, seems to have been a perpetrator."

Harris, who was born in Perth but moved to the UK in 1952, was a hugely popular entertainer in both countries for 60 years.

As well as singing and presenting children's and prime time TV shows, Harris was once so popular he was asked to paint a portrait of the Queen for her 80<sup>th birthday and perform at the diamond jubilee concert outside Buckingham Palace in 2012.

In the wake of sex offence convictions, some of the honours Harris has be awarded down the years will now be stripped from the disgraced entertainer.

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts confirmed he will be stripped of his Bafta Fellowship he was awarded in 2012, as well as his membership of Australia's ARIA Hall of Fame, where he was conducted in 2008 for his "contribution to the Australian recorded music industry".

He also looks set to be stripped of the CBE – one of the highest honours given by the Queen – which he was awarded in 2006, as well as title of Officer of the Order of Australia he received in 2012.

The lord mayor of Perth has also announced a plaque in honour of Harris placed in the capital of Western Australia could now be removed.

Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi told Fairfax radio: "I can't say until the council decision is made but the general feeling around the place is that we don't accept those kind of offences.

"It's a very sad issue and something we need to deal with."

Described as a "sinister pervert" who used his "status and position" to assault his victims, Harris will be sentenced on Friday (4 July). He faces a maximum of two years for each count.