<< In Harris's case a lot of the prosecution cost would have to do with Harris putting up a very strong defense case. >>

Well, maybe at some point in the future we will have a better understanding of why he did that. My suspicion is that he simply thought that what he had done was not anything of any particular significance, and that it should not be allowed to result in him copping a big penalty such as some years in jail, if he could possibly help it.

The whole episode was about antics right at the bottom end of the spectrum of pedophilia. So I guess he thought that there was a reasonable chance of it all not leading to anything more than a warning or small fine if he mounted a strong defence case, and that if he hadn’t, he would have left himself wide open to the maximum force of the judicial system.

I think he had no choice but to strongly defend himself. All those against him condemn him for his apparent lack of remorse for mounting this defence. But I think it was more a matter of trying to put things into a more realistic perspective, where the level of significance of his actions would be seen as being considerably less than what they otherwise would have been, and indeed now are by the court.

"I think he had no choice but to strongly defend himself. All those against him condemn him for his apparent lack of remorse for mounting this defence. But I think it was more a matter of trying to put things into a more realistic perspective,...."

Rolf's defence was:

"They're all making it up."

<[Rotherham] Report author Professor Alexis Jay said senior managers had "underplayed" the scale and seriousness of the problem and police also failed to prioritise it.

She insisted that, given her findings, "nobody could say I didn't know".>
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-29256059

It is simply amazing, incredible, that there were inexhaustible police resources and senior executive support (including the Minister) to pursue Rolf Harris and later Sir Cliff Richard, where the BBC also wielded its paddle (though it was noticeably subdued previously where Rotherham was concerned),
yet,
authorities, police, minister (and the BBC) were nowhere near as guno-ho on the Rotherham complaints and reports over the years.

Why the difference?

Make that'gung-ho'.

<< "They're all making it up." >>

Poirot, are these his exact words? Do you have a reference? Was this in reference to the all the charges brought against him, or to certain allegations made by just one girl, or what? Can you give us the full context of this statement?

http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2014/s4014341.htm

"BARBRA MILLER, EUROPE CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Tony. Yesterday we had Rolf Harris singing part of Jake the Peg in the witness box. He demonstrated the wobble board, made sound effects of the wobble board and also demonstrated the sound of a didgeridoo. Now the prosecutor got straight to that performance, as it were, when she made her opening statements in cross-examination. She said, "You delighted us with a demonstration of your many talents as an artist." And she said she wanted to make it quite clear that the prosecution did not suggest for a moment that Rolf Harris was anything other than a brilliant and polished performer. But this case, as you know, she told the defendant, is not a talent show. And she told Rolf Harris that the case was about deciding to what extent the dark side she's talked about of Rolf Harris dominated his behaviour. The prosecution's case here is that he was a serial molester over a large number of decades and that he also groomed the main complainant in this case from the age of 13."

"Now as far as the other allegations go, Tony, the prosecutor has put it to Rolf Harris that they're all making very similar claims, that their stories of Rolf Harris approaching them, wanting to hug them and then indecently touching or assaulting them all ring very similar. He's admitted that that's the case, these stories do sound similar, but he said simply, "They are all making it up."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-04/rolf-harris-sentenced-to-more-than-five-years-jail/5572768

"Harris denied inappropriately touching any of the alleged victims and pleaded not guilty in court. "They are all making it up," he told the jury in late May."