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Glitter faces jail after charges
By Simon Freeman and agencies
Gary Glitter has been charged with molesting two children at his beachfront home in Vietnam, prosecutors confirmed today.
The 61-year-old Briton, real name Paul Gadd, is accused of committing obscene acts with the girls aged 10 and 11. The charges carry a prison term of up to seven years.
The children originally told police that they had sex with the former glam rocker, an allegation which if proved would have carried a maximum penalty of death by firing squad.
Le Thanh Kinh, the singer's lawyer, said last week that Glitter had paid $2,000 (£1,150) to each family two weeks ago for "co-operation" in the ensuing legal case. The families subsequently wrote to the authorities asking that charges of child rape were dropped.
Prosecutors today confirmed that there was not enough evidence to pursue these charges.
The prosecution files will be handed to Vung Tau People's Court early next week, which has ten weeks to decide whether to put Glitter on trial.
Mr Kinh told the AFP news agency that he would request his client's release on $40,000 bail.
Nguyen Van Xung, the deputy chief prosecutor in southern province, said: "It's unlikely that he would be released on bail because there is a risk that he would flee the country."
Glitter was arrested at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City in November, trying to leave the country amid allegations over relationships with two girls.
Police had said earlier they were looking into child rape charges after medical checks showed evidence that one of the girls had sexual intercourse. However, the girl told police that she previously had sexual intercourse with a boyfriend, not Glitter, said Xung.
"There’s not enough evidence to press for the child rape charges," Xung said.
Glitter, famed as glam-rock icon in the 1970s, left Britain after being convicted of possessing child pornography in 1999. He served half of a four-month jail sentence and later went to Cambodia, which permanently expelled him in 2002.
By Simon Freeman and agencies
Gary Glitter has been charged with molesting two children at his beachfront home in Vietnam, prosecutors confirmed today.
The 61-year-old Briton, real name Paul Gadd, is accused of committing obscene acts with the girls aged 10 and 11. The charges carry a prison term of up to seven years.
The children originally told police that they had sex with the former glam rocker, an allegation which if proved would have carried a maximum penalty of death by firing squad.
Le Thanh Kinh, the singer's lawyer, said last week that Glitter had paid $2,000 (£1,150) to each family two weeks ago for "co-operation" in the ensuing legal case. The families subsequently wrote to the authorities asking that charges of child rape were dropped.
Prosecutors today confirmed that there was not enough evidence to pursue these charges.
The prosecution files will be handed to Vung Tau People's Court early next week, which has ten weeks to decide whether to put Glitter on trial.
Mr Kinh told the AFP news agency that he would request his client's release on $40,000 bail.
Nguyen Van Xung, the deputy chief prosecutor in southern province, said: "It's unlikely that he would be released on bail because there is a risk that he would flee the country."
Glitter was arrested at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City in November, trying to leave the country amid allegations over relationships with two girls.
Police had said earlier they were looking into child rape charges after medical checks showed evidence that one of the girls had sexual intercourse. However, the girl told police that she previously had sexual intercourse with a boyfriend, not Glitter, said Xung.
"There’s not enough evidence to press for the child rape charges," Xung said.
Glitter, famed as glam-rock icon in the 1970s, left Britain after being convicted of possessing child pornography in 1999. He served half of a four-month jail sentence and later went to Cambodia, which permanently expelled him in 2002.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1973363,00.html
This loser should be dead!!
.. Someone wanna fill me in?
