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Folk Legend Roy Harper Charged With Sexually Assaulting Young Girl

roy harper, child abuse charges

English folk legend Roy Harper has been accused of sexually abusing a young girl, the BBC reports. The 72-year-old will appear in court on Monday, November 18, to face charges on nine counts of sexual assault. According to police, the alleged abuse took place between 1975 and 1977, and involved a single victim, who was 12 years old when it began. A summons was issued to Harper, who currently lives in Ireland, on October 16, after he was voluntarily interviewed by authorities back in February.

Over the course of his nearly half-century career, Harper has released more than 20 studio albums, the most recent of which, Man and Myth, was issued in September via Bella Union. The singer-songwriter has been cited as an influence by a variety of artists, including Johnny Marr, Fleet Foxes, and Joanna Newsom, with whom Harper has toured. He served as the inspiration to Led Zeppelin’s “Hats Off to (Roy) Harper,” from 1970’s Led Zeppelin III, and also sang lead vocals on Pink Floyd’s “Have a Cigar,” which appears on the band’s iconic 1975 LP, Wish You Were Here.

Stay tuned for updates as they break.