William B. Merritt, the author of Rolf Harris: The Defence Team’s Special Investigator reveals the Truth behind the Trials, on life after his important and expository book, and what's to come next.
I will be 75 in November and whilst I keep myself fit, I did have a heart attack about three years ago and they put three stents in me. In order to do justice to the investigation of a historical allegation of a sexual nature one has to live through every aspect of the event when and where the assault allegedly occurred.
The accused and complainants are in your mind all day, every day. I investigated over twenty (all but one were successful) so you can imagine the toll it took on me both mentally and physically. I managed OK, but due to the cost involved in writing and publishing the book, I needed to raise money. The legal costs alone that were necessary to avoid possible libel action were very high.
In an effort to recoup some of the money I spent, and the cost to me in time when I was not earning, I took on a project early this year that saw me working seven days a week, twelve hours a day on the cyclone and flood insurance claims in New Zealand. That almost killed me and I returned to the UK absolutely shattered as well as having been diagnosed in New Zealand with atrial fibrillation. I made it back, but due to my bad health I had to fly business class, which almost negated the money I earned in New Zealand.
I am recovering and starting to get my fitness back and I have commenced working again but at my own pace. I have two new Court of Appeal cases that I am looking into and I am trying to restrict my working week to four days. I do enjoy the work and I enjoy writing but I have slowed considerably.
I am putting something together about the documentary they ran on Rolf. I want to take some of the witnesses to task and hit them with solid irrefutable evidence. I need to make sure the article is 100% accurate. The police and CPS can make mistakes but if I do then they will seize on this and so will the subjects. Whilst they are low-life liars, I want to keep the articles professional and unemotional so the readers make up their own minds.
By William B. Merritt
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