London ( CNN ) -- Australian children 's entertainer Rolf Harris , 84 , was found guilty Monday in a London court of 12 charges of sexually abusing women and girls as young as 7 years old . The musician and artist , who painted a portrait of the Queen for the monarch 's 80th birthday in 2006 , had been charged under Operation Yewtree , which is investigating allegations of decades of abuse by public figures , including the late TV entertainer Jimmy Savile . The offenses that Harris committed against four women took place as far back as 1970 . He was released on bail until Friday , when he will be sentenced ; the judge , Justice Sweeney , warned him he could face jail , the Press Association reported . Dozens more women who said they had been abused by the entertainer , including several in Australia , alerted police during the trial , PA added . Speaking outside Southwark Crown Court after the verdict , Detective Mick Orchard told reporters : `` Rolf Harris has habitually denied any wrongdoing , forcing his victims to recount their ordeal in public . `` He committed many offenses in plain sight of people as he thought his celebrity status placed him above the law . I want to thank the women who came forward for their bravery . I hope today 's guilty verdict will give them closure and help them to begin to move on with their lives . `` Today 's case and verdict once again shows that we will always listen to , and investigate allegations regardless of the time frame or those involved . '' Harris was once one of Britain 's best-loved children 's entertainers . He had a string of hits in the 1960s , including `` Tie Me Kangaroo Down , Sport , '' `` Jake the Peg '' and `` Two Little Boys . '' He had a decades-long television career at the BBC and received several honors , including the Order of the British Empire .
Rolf Harris is found guilty in a Britain court of 12 charges of sexual abuse . 84-year-old musician and artist painted portrait of Queen for monarch 's 80th birthday in 2006 . Offenses Harris committed against 12 women took place as far back as 2006 . Rolf Harris charged under Operation Yewtree investigating abuse allegations by public figures .