Rolf Harris' daughter Bindi Nicholls backs change.org petition to prove his innocence: 'He is a sweet, honest man'
The fine artist says she she had 'never witnessed him being interested in children in that way'
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Bindi Nicholls has signed a petition calling for a judicial review into the “biased” trial of her father Rolf Harris.
Nicholls, who is a professional fine artist in her own right, wrote on the change.org petition page that her father is a “kind, sweet, honest man” who “is nothing like the man the press have been portraying him to be”.
The petition, which was started by a female fan of Harris, claims the evidence given against the entertainer last year at Southwark Crown Court was insubstantial, and a “gross burden of bias” was presented to the jury.
Harris was found guilty of 12 indecent assaults and sentenced to a six-year jail term for a string of sex attacks on girls as young as seven.
Nicholls, 50, wrote on the change.org page: “Rolf Harris is my father, I have known him all my life, he is a kind sweet, honest man on stage and off. He has worked tirelessly all his life to bring joy, laughter, inspiration and happiness to all he meets.
“He is a workaholic, work is his priority and he lives to entertain. I have never witnessed him being interested on children [sic] in that way, EVER. In public he is more interested in getting groups of people singing or telling jokes than skulking off with one person, he is just nothing like the man the press have been portraying him to be.
“All of his dear friends are shocked and desperately upset that he has been tarred by the propaganda out there. He has been swept up in a witch hunt because of his high profile and celebrity! A total travesty at his age.”
Harris could face new charges after a “full file” of evidence allegedly relating to the entertainer was handed to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) on Friday.
A CPS spokesperson said: “The CPS has received a full file of evidence following the interview under caution of an 85-year-old man on 3 and 4 February at a police station in Stafford in relation to Operation Yewtree. A decision will be made in due course.”
The CPS declined to name the man, but it is understood to be the shamed TV presenter and artist.
The veteran entertainer is currently serving his sentence at Stafford Prison.
Harris was unanimously found guilty of molesting four girls, including a young victim who prosecutors said Harris groomed from the age of 13 and used like “his little toy”.
The accusations dated between 1968 and 1986, and the girls were targeted between the ages of seven or eight and 19.
Harris subsequently had his CBE annulled at the order of the Queen following his conviction.