The 84-year-old entertainer was yesterday (New Zealand time) found guilty by a jury at Southwark Crown Court on all 12 counts of indecent assault on four victims over two decades from 1968.
He will be sentenced at the end of the week, and has been told he is likely to be jailed.
The victims were young girls or teenagers at the time of the abuse.
One was the childhood friend of Harris' daughter, with whom he maintained he had a consensual affair after she turned 18.
While the verdict may not be the end of the matter (police are considering fresh allegations against him, and the court heard evidence from other women alleging similar abuse and indicating the abuse could be more widespread than first suspected), it will be a relief for these victims, as it finally brings them justice.
Their courage in stepping into the international public spotlight to speak out about a powerful and previously respected man with such a high profile cannot be underestimated.
But, once again, the verdicts will put the focus on authorities and others as to who knew what and why no-one did anything, especially given Harris' apparent reputation for groping (he was reportedly referred to as the ''Octopus'' in his native Australia).
News that he was brought to New Zealand in 1986 to raise awareness about sexual abuse is chilling in retrospect.
Harris is one of 17 high-profile British celebrities to face historic sex abuse allegations and one of five charged.
TV and radio personality Stuart Hall and publicist Max Clifford have been jailed, previously convicted paedophile ''Gary Glitter'' is facing eight charges and a likely trial.
Coronation Street stars Michael Le Vell and William Roache were cleared, and after four arrests, comedian Freddie Starr is facing no further action.
The charges came about largely through Operation Yewtree, an investigation set up by Scotland Yard as a result of the extensive sex crimes discovered to have been committed by the late BBC presenter Jimmy Savile over four decades.
A total of 214 criminal offences have been recorded against him, but more harrowing revelations emerged last week about the full extent of his sexual offending.
The findings were the result of investigations by Britain's National Health Service into allegations some of the confirmed abuse took place in hospitals.
The new findings showed most of the abuse was at Leeds General Infirmary and Broadmoor high-security psychiatric hospital, where Savile had access as a volunteer porter.
His victims ranged in age from 5 to 75, and included men, women, boys and girls.
It was revealed he told a student nurse in a different hospital he sexually abused bodies in the Leeds hospital mortuary.
The report found significant failings by Broadmoor and Leeds hospital staff.
They echoed the failings of other authorities, with the BBC and police previously slammed for missing warnings, and not acting on abuse allegations.
Savile's fame and power gave him opportunity and made it difficult for victims to speak out.
The fact those who did speak out were ignored is tragic.
It is of great shame that victims were not protected.
Questions of culpability remain.
The same fame, power and showmanship, and easy access to children, undoubtedly allowed Harris to commit similar offending.
The men received Queen's honours, were in the public eye, and were so confident of their ''invincibility'' many of their offences were carried out in plain sight.
It is to be hoped that, hard as it is to hear the harrowing evidence, the fact it is now in the open is positive.
Through the investigations, arrests and court proceedings, the message is being made that such behaviour is criminal and will not be tolerated - no matter how well-known or high-powered the perpetrator.
That message should provide a beacon of hope to victims everywhere.
They should know they can speak up, be believed, find support and safety and see such people brought to justice.
