31 March 2013

Australian star in hiding following arrest on suspicion of sex offences as part of Operation Yewtree

THE Australian entertainer arrested on suspicion of sexual offences remained in hiding yesterday having apparently moved out of his riverfront home in the country to live in an undisclosed London flat.

The 82-year-old showbiz star was interviewed for several hours until late on Thursday night by detectives from Operation Yewtree which has so far arrested 11 men in relation to suspicions of sex offences dating back as far as the 1960s.

He was bailed to reappear before police in May while officers conducted further inquiries. His arrest followed a lengthy interview he gave police “under caution” with lawyers in November last year which also followed a search of a property in Berkshire five days earlier.

Yesterday the man’s British agent was still not taking calls. His wife and a man believed to be his son-in-law were at his Berkshire home in South East England but both have declined to comment when questioned by media outside their gates.

The high-profile star, who News Limited has chosen not to name, was said by friends close to him to be “fragile” with shock over his interviews with police. He reportedly has been staying at a flat in the city in recent weeks.

Operation Yewtree was initiated last year after a flood of allegations against British TV entertainer and personality Jimmy Savile who had abused children and adults over a five decade period.

He was recently declared the most prolific sexual predator in the country in history with Yewtree now officially recording 214 criminal offences including 34 rapes involving many young boys and even terminally ill teenagers and other in psychiatric wards. More than 450 people have alleged sexual abuse against Savile.

While the Australian entertainer was arrested by Yewtree detectives, police pointed out there were three strands to the probe. One directly relates to Savile, the second relates to persons directly related to Savile’s crimes and the third, which the Australian man falls into, is simply known as “others”

independent of Savile and was created after the Savile scandal prompted a number of unrelated allegations to surface against high profile music, television and radio stars.

Among the high profile arrests so far are disgraced former popstar Gary Glitter and well known British comedian Freddie Starr. Starr has denied the allegations, and Glitter has not released a statement.

heraldsun.com.au 31 Mar 2013

'The high-profile star, who News Limited has chosen not to name' is Rolf Harris, a fact that has been mentioned a while ago.

The Australian media has also neglected to mention that entertainer Don Lane, who appeared on Aussie television is a convicted, sex offender.

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