Anger after artworks by convicted sex offender Rolf Harris appear on auction house website

Two items by the Australian celebrity, jailed for child sex abuse three years ago, had appeared on Boldon Auction Galleries’ website.

“View of Durham Cathedral” was listed with a guide price of £50 to £80, while “Aboriginal Girl” was placed with an estimate of between £20 to £40.

The items have both since been withdrawn after the auction house was contacted for comment.

The limited edition prints were both signed in pencil by Harris.

Boldon Auction Galleries, which is in Front Street, East Boldon, has regularly featured in BBC antiques programme Flog It! since the show first aired in 2002.

Former TV personality Harris, now 87, was jailed for five years for indecently assaulting four females aged between eight and 19.

Speaking before the drawings were withdrawn from the website, a Boldon man, who did not want to be named, spoke of his shock after seeing the listings.

He said: “I sincerely do hope the auction house does rethink this and their goodstanding in the community.

“The paintings are neither antique nor can they still be referred to as pop memorabilia.

“The whole community is talking about it. Let’s hope the auction house redeem themselves with an eleventh hour about turn.”

In 2014, Harris was convicted of 12 historic indecent assaults on four young girls - one just seven or eight - between 1968 and 1986.

He was freed from prison earlier this year after serving three years of his sentence.

In May this year he was cleared of four indecent assault charges against three teenage girls between 1971 and 1983 after a jury failed to reach a verdict.

Before his convictions, Harris was a celebrated artist who once painted a portrait of Her Majesty the Queen.

As a result of his crimes, he was stripped of his MBE honour and a Bafta Fellowship.

Boldon Auction Galleries’ next antiques and interiors sale is, according to its website, set to take place this Wednesday from 10am.