Gary Glitter Facing Charges in 2012 Sex Offense Arrest
Gary Glitter has received more attention for his alleged proclivities than his music in recent years, and that doesn't look like it'll be changing anytime soon.
The Guardian reports that Glitter, whose real name is Paul Gadd, is facing charges stemming from his 2012 arrest as part of a widespread U.K. police sex offense investigation dubbed Operation Yewtree. The singer had been out on bail, but according to today's reports, new evidence has convinced prosecutors that they have enough to pursue conviction.
"We have carefully considered the evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police Service in relation to Paul Gadd, also known as Gary Glitter. He was arrested on 28 October 2012 over allegations of sexual offenses and the police have been providing material to the CPS since July 2013, with the most recent material submitted in March 2014," explained chief crown prosecutor Baljit Ubhey. "Having completed our review, we have concluded, in accordance with the code for crown prosecutors, that there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest for Mr. Gadd to be charged with eight offences under the Sexual Offences Act 1956. These relate to two female complainants aged between 12 and 14 at the time of the alleged offending between 1977 and 1980."
The grisly charges against Gadd allege multiple instances of indecent assault against a minor, including "administering a drug or other thing in order to facilitate sexual intercourse." This is far from the first time he's faced jail for crimes of this nature; he was arrested in the U.K. in the late-'90s for possession of vast amounts of child pornography, after which he moved to Cambodia -- only to be deported to Vietnam for suspected child sexual abuse in 2002. In 2006, a Vietnamese court convicted him of obscene acts with minors, and after serving his sentence, he was deported again, this time back to Britain.
According to the Guardian's report, Gadd will appear before a judge on June 19.