Actress and television presenter Susie Elelman has claimed she was “touched up” by Australian entertainer Rolf Harris who, in 2014, was found guilty and convicted of 12 counts of indecent assault.
Elelman, now 62, was a guest panellist on the Studio 10 breakfast show on Tuesday when she described the way Harris, now aged 87, allegedly touched her in the 1970s.
“I can honestly say I’ve been touched up by Rolf Harris and didn’t enjoy it,” Elelman told the show’s panellists.
She said Harris was “huge” in popularity in those days, and she met him when he was one of the lead guests on the Tonight Show she was working on.
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She was there with a 15-year-old work experience girl and, when he approached the pair, Elelman was more concerned about protecting the young woman who was new to the industry.
“He had this habit of hugging you and then running his hand down your back and trying to insert his finger you-know-where,” she said.
“And then, what you’d do of course, is flinch and therefore you go closer in towards him which means that your groins would join.”
As for the work experience girl? "He was all over her like a cheap suit," Elelman said. "All we could do through the whole show was try and keep her away from him."
This week, Harris is appearing in court to face a retrial on allegations he indecently assaulted three teenage girls - an investigation that began after he was convicted and jailed in 2014.
If found not guilty, he will be released from prison almost immediately as July 2017 marks the end of his sentence. He is currently being held at HM Prison Stafford in the UK, which is where he was tried and convicted.
At the time of her alleged assault, Elelman tried to report the incident to management but said it wasn't taken seriously.
"It was in those days when you don’t do anything. [..] We all went, ‘oh well, that’s what big stars do’," she said.
"As far as I’m concerned, he used his fame for evil, not for good and the creep can stay in jail."