Retired solicitor convicted of sexual offences against former clients

A retired Plymouth criminal defence solicitor has been found guilty by a jury of sexually assaulting several of his former clients.

Alan Harris, 72, of Thorn Park, Plymouth, appeared at Winchester Crown Court where he faced 12 charges of indecent assault, eight charges of sexual assault and two charges of rape, dating from 1989 to 2015. The charges related to seven people, six men and one woman.

The majority of the victims were in their teens when the assaults took place in a number of locations, including the cells and consultation rooms at Charles Cross police station, the cells under Plymouth Magistrates’ Court and in his car. None of the victims can be identified for legal reasons.

Shortly after 2pm yesterday, following 22 hours and 59 minutes of deliberation, the jury found Harris guilty of eight charges - five counts of indecent assault and three counts of sexual assault upon six of his victims. He was found not guilty of seven of the charges.

At this point, Her Honour Judge Angela Morris directed the jury to return to their room to continue deliberation on the remaining charges, but stated that she would now accept a majority verdict.

Shortly before 4pm, the jury returned to court to return the last of their verdicts - guilty by a majority verdict on two counts of sexual assault on a woman and not guilty of four charges, two of indecent assault on two males and two counts of rape on a further male.

During the trial, the jury watched video interviews with the victims before they gave evidence from the witness box.

The jury heard them say they were assaulted by Harris at a number of locations, including Charles Cross police station custody suite cells, Plymouth Magistrates’ Court cells, conference rooms and in Harris’s car.

Harris practised as a criminal defence solicitor, running his business Alan Harris Solicitors, from the mid-1980s until his retirement in 2016.

The court heard an investigation into the allegations was opened in 2015, named Operation Tower. Over the next few years, Harris was interviewed three times, twice in 2016 and again in 2023. He was charged in August 2024. 

During the course of the inquiry, led by Devon and Cornwall Police’s Major Crime Investigation Team, one of the victims, named by PlymouthLive as Male D, died. Despite his death in 2023, his video interview and statement were read out to the jury.

The jury heard that many of the victims, who were all clients of Harris, did not report the offences at the time as they were young, lived chaotic lives often marred by substance abuse, and feared they would not be believed as they were already in the criminal justice system.

When asked why they did not come forward immediately after being assaulted, one of Harris’ victims told the jury: ‘Who’s going to believe me - he’s a solicitor, I’m a heroin addict and a criminal’.

The judge confirmed that a pre-sentence report will now be prepared and granted Harris continued conditional bail until 25 February, when he will be sentenced at Winchester Crown Court.

Senior investigating officer chief superintendent Roy Linden said: ‘We welcome the jury’s guilty verdicts at Winchester Crown Court.

‘Alan Harris has been convicted of despicable sexual offences against victims he targeted because of their vulnerability, thinking nobody would ever believe them. The victims in this case have shown enormous courage in reporting these offences, placing trust in the criminal justice process and in giving evidence in court. Our thoughts are with them today.

‘Speaking directly to victims of sexual offences: We would encourage anyone who has been in this situation to come forward, and we will review each case on its own merits to determine if there is sufficient evidence to proceed.’