The mansion where paedophile Rolf Harris carried out some of his crimes has failed to sell three months after being put up for sale, with experts saying his daughter is asking too much
The mansion where convicted paedophile Rolf Harris committed some of his heinous acts has remained unsold three months after hitting the market.
The property, where Harris passed away from neck cancer at 93 in May 2023, carries a hefty £4million price tag. However, experts reckon his sole child, Bindi, who inherited the house along with most of his £16m fortune, is asking too much. Local estate agent Brian Warren, who previously valued properties on the same Thames-side street, told the Mirror: “We actually looked at it and others on the same row. I originally said it was worth £2million.
“No one buying at that price would want to live in it because of the stigma and it’s a mess, with all add-on extensions that Rolf Harris put on over the years. So they’re looking at paying another £1.5million on top of that to rebuild it because it’s on the river, which is more expensive.”
The residence in Bray, Berkshire, was discreetly listed for sale earlier this year, two years following the shamed entertainer’s death. Despite some viewings, no deals have been struck, reports the Mirror.
Harris, who was sentenced to five years and nine months in prison in June 2014 after being found guilty of twelve indecent assaults against four young girls, had resided there for over six decades. His wife Alwen, who suffered from Alzheimer’s, also passed away there in August last year.
Harris’ offences, which included sexual assaults on one of Bindi’s friends, who was between 13 and 19 years old at the time, occurred between 1968 and 1986. It was reported that he committed a sexual act on her while his daughter was asleep in another room of their family home.
The shamed performer received support from his wife and daughter during his court case, who held his hand each day as they entered the court.
Harris was notably spotted leaving his house by boat on the River Thames to attend his sentencing hearing, in an effort to dodge journalists, including TV camera crews and photographers stationed outside his home.
The property was originally designed to mirror his childhood home on the banks of the Swan River in Perth, Western Australia, where he learned to swim before becoming a national junior backstroke champion at the age of 15.
Ahead of his release from prison in 2017, the house underwent renovations when workers were seen replacing a large patio at a cost exceeding £10,000. The front drive, overseen by a horsehead, was also excavated, and the back garden was revamped.
However, it is thought that much of the interior is outdated and requires refurbishment.
Harris gained fame in his early 20s when he started presenting a cartoon drawing segment on the children’s show Jigsaw. He went on to illustrate Harbin’s Paper Magic programme in 1956 and swiftly became a regular on other BBC television shows.
Brian, from Warren Property Matters in Eton, Windsor, further commented: “Given the cost of renovation, it’s just not cost-effective if you have to pay £4million for the property.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
