Roy Harper Redeemed

[cronus]

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015 ... urt-battle

Roy Harper 'angry' at court fight as sexual abuse charges dropped

The acclaimed folk musician Roy Harper has expressed anger and sorrow over a three-year battle to clear his name of allegations of historical sexual abuse.

Harper, who has worked with artists ranging from Paul McCartney to Kate Bush and was namechecked in a Led Zeppelin track, walked free from court after prosecutors announced they were dropping allegations against him.

Earlier this year a jury cleared Harper, 74, of claims that he sexually abused an 11-year-old girl in the 1970s and indecently assaulted a 16-year-old girl in 1980. But it failed to reach verdicts on other charges relating to the 11-year-old and he faced a retrial. Finally, prosecutors at Worcester crown court offered no evidence on these charges on Monday.

Outside the court, Harper said he had always maintained his innocence. He said: “I have now been acquitted on all the charges that were brought. This case should never have gone as far as this, or taken so long to resolve.

“The psychological and personal cost to my wife and myself has been enormous and the financial cost hugely unfair. I lost my livelihood and I spent my savings ... and more, on my defence.

“I realise these are difficult issues at this time in this society, and I thank my lawyers for standing by me and working so hard to show the truth. Despite coming out of this without a blemish on my name, I cannot recoup my costs and that’s left me incredibly angry.

“I’m now going to restart my working life where I left off nearly three years ago. I’d like to thank everyone who’s continued to support me. Thank you, all of you.”

(continued)

[JimC]

Perhaps, in a failed prosecution of that nature, the prosecution should have to cover the legal costs of the defendant...

[cronus]

Perhaps, in a failed prosecution of that nature, the prosecution should have to cover the legal costs of the defendant...

Lawyering =/= Justice

[Trinity]

Perhaps, in a failed prosecution of that nature, the prosecution should have to cover the legal costs of the defendant...

that's what usually happens to us plebs.

[cronus]

I didn't buy his latest album, despite rave reviews, whilst he was under suspicion. Now I have, albeit second hand, so it won't help him out with the readies directly. After all absence of evidence is a given in historic cases of this nature. Doesn't mean it didn't happen. And some of his songs are a little bit creepy if you ask me. Still a lot better than Cliff Richard. And Leonardo Da Vinci was a bit of a pencil squeezer, no one minds that. Must separate the artists from the art. Or we'd have precious little art around.

[Hermit]