Ex-solicitor guilty of sex assaults on his clients

ALAN HARRIS FOUND GUILTY OF 10 OUT OF 22 CHARGES

- By CARL EVE [e-mail]

A RETIRED Plymouth criminal defence solicitor has been found guilty by a jury of sexually assaulting several of his former clients.

Alan Harris, aged 72 and from Thorn Park, Plymouth, appeared at Winchester Crown Court where he faced 12 charges of indecent assault, eight charges of sexual assault and two charges of rape, dating from 1989 to 2015.

The charges related to eight people - seven men and one woman.

The majority of the victims were in their teens when the assaults took place in a number of locations including the cells and consultation rooms at Charles Cross police station, the cells under Plymouth Magistrates' Court, and in his car.

None of the victims can be identified for legal reasons.

Shortly after 2pm yesterday, following 22 hours and 59 minutes of deliberation, the jury found him guilty by unanimous verdict of eight charges - five counts of indecent assault and three counts of sexual assault upon six of his victims. He was found not guilty of seven of the charges.

At this point, Judge Angela Morris directed the jury to return to their room to continue deliberation on the remaining charges, but stated that she would now accept a majority verdict.