RTR3X2FL
Entertainer Rolf Harris arrives for sentencing at Southwark Crown Court in London July 4, 2014. Harris, a mainstay of family entertainment in Britain and Australia for more than 50 years, was found guilty on Monday of 12 charges of indecently assaulting young girls over a period of nearly 20 years. REUTERS/Toby Melville (BRITAIN - Tags: CRIME LAW ENTERTAINMENT)

Rolf Harris, the 85-year-old Australian entertainer, is facing more accusations of sexual abuse. Harris, who is already convicted and imprisoned due to 12 counts of indecent assault against women aged between eight and 19, is being accused by 20 more women of sexual abuse. If proven guilty, he could lose a significant part of his £15 million (AU$29.4 million) fortune.

Mirror reports that the 20 alleged new sex abuse victims of Harris have contacted Slater and Gordon Lawyers in Australia. The multinational law firm has abuse specialists that represented the 168 victims of the late media personality Jimmy Savile, who was also a suspected paedophile.

"We are currently dealing with civil compensation claimants who are all represented by Slater and Gordon. We need to wait and see what happens with the next 20 claimants but there is no appeal pending or being considered at this stage," Jennifer Harris, Rolf's niece, was quoted as saying in a Mirror report.

Rolf's companies are estimated to be worth as much as £8.5 million (AU$16.6 million), with £2.3 million (AU$4.6 million) stored in cash, according to Mirror. The same report said Rolf has a mortgage-free home on the River Thames which is estimated to be worth £5 (AU$9.8 million).

On July 4, 2014, Harris was sentenced by Judge Mr. Justice Sweeney to five years and nine months in prison due to the offences he committed against several women aged between eight and 19 from 1968 to 1986. In 1969, one of Rolf's victims reportedly approached him for an autograph in Portsmouth. Another victim was reportedly assaulted in 1978 while Rolf was filming in Cambridge.

In 2014, the judge also said that Rolf had breached the trust of his victim, who was a minor. She had lost her childhood innocence. The judge remarked that the assault had wrecked the teenager psychologically and resulted in her becoming alcoholic for many years. The teenage plaintiff also presented several doctors and counsellors in court as part of her evidence against Rolf.

Before being convicted of his crimes, Rolf Harris was honoured with many awards including the Officer of the Order of Australia, or AO and the Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, or CBE. The multiple sexual charges against Harris not only defamed him globally, but he was also stripped of his various honours.

To report problems or leave feedback on this article, email the reporter at: spghosh.ghosh@gmail.com.