Roy Harper Charged With Sexually Assaulting a Child

Folk singer faces nine counts of abusing a girl in the Seventies. Roy Harper, the English folk singer who sang with Pink Floyd and influenced Led Zeppelin, has been charged with sexual assault in connection with a case dating back to the mid-Seventies. According to the BBC, British authorities have charged Harper, 72, with nine counts of sexually abusing a girl in Herefordshire, England, between 1975-77, starting when she was 12.

Police interviewed Harper, who lives in Ireland, in February at London’s Heathrow Airport, and issued him a summons last month. He is due to appear in court on Monday.

Harper sang lead vocals on Pink Floyd’s song “Have a Cigar,” from their 1975 album Wish You Were Here, and the singer was the subject of “Hats Off to (Roy) Harper” on Led Zeppelin III in 1970. Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull once cited Harper as a primary influence on his songwriting, and younger bands including Fleet Foxes have mentioned Harper as a musical inspiration.

The singer has released more than 20 studio albums since his 1966 debut, Sophisticated Beggar, including the 1985 album Whatever Happened to Jugula, recorded with Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page.

Source: Rolling Stone