English Folkie Roy Harper Arrested For Sex Offenses
had a cigar
Like most people, you probably know Roy Harper as the lead singer of Pink Floyd’s “Have A Cigar”, you know, “which one of you is Pink? . But in the UK he is a legendary folk singer and a lengendary folk singer in a great deal of trouble.
72 year old Roy has been arrested for having a sexual relationship with a 12 year old girl… from 1975 to 1977. In 1975, Roy was 34 years old, certainly old enough not to seduce twelve year old girls but really, this is a strange story that seems to rattlle things up. If feels like the tail end of the Jimmy Saville story but with a difference.
First there is this: it is 36 years since the alleged assault and the alleged assault took place over two years. I don’t know whether it is true or not but whether it is true or not, that is a breathtaking amount of time to wait between the assault and indictment.
Next there is this, we are not discussing serial predators like Saville or Glitter, this was one singular relationship. While as, if it is true, then obviously it bothered the victim enough for her to come forward decades later. A close friend of mine was raped by her father when she was a pre-teen, obviously the Harper story isn’t that but I would guess the sense of I dunno, powerlessness has echoes.
On the other hand, I don’t see why Harper and this girl might not have fallen in love. As much as we’d like a less messy emotional maelstrom than this, love is, indeed blind.
The AP report reads like this:
“British police say veteran folk singer-songwriter Roy Harper has been charged with sexual offenses against an underage girl during the 1970s.
Harper, who has performed with acts including Pink Floyd, faces two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 13, three counts of indecent assault on a girl under 14 and four counts of gross indecency with a girl under 14.
Police said Friday that the alleged offenses took place between 1975 and 1977 and involve one victim.
The West Mercia force says 72-year-old Harper is due to appear in court in Hereford, western England, on Monday.
Harper, who has released more than 30 albums, provided vocals for the Pink Floyd track “Have a Cigar” and inspired the Led Zeppelin song “Hats Off to (Roy) Harper.”
