Disgraced Australian entertainer Rolf Harris has abandoned an appeal he lodged against his 12 convictions for indecent assault. The offences were allegedly perpetrated by Harris against four girls in the UK between 1968 and 1986.
As the ABC reports, a judge rejected an application for an appeal in October, which 84-year-old Harris originally lodged in August. Despite the rejection, Harris had 28 days in which to ask for a hearing before three judges.
Those 28 days have now expired, without Harris asking for a hearing. The UK Judiciary Office confirmed to the ABC Harris had not lodged an application in time, nor requested an extension.
Harris was jailed in July for five years and nine months, after a London jury found him guilty on all charges. Half of that time will be served as a non-custodial sentence, meaning he won’t spend the whole time behind bars.
Despite over 150 complaints regarding the supposed leniency of Harris’ sentence, prosecutors are no longer able to appeal against the length of the sentence. In July, the sentence was referred to the UK Attorney General after some saw it as unduly lenient.
