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Gary Glitter Freed From Prison After Serving Half of Sexual Abuse Sentence

'Rock and Roll (Part 2)' singer was previously convicted for child pornography and spent time in a Vietnamese jail
Gary Glitter in 2015 (Photo: Peter Macdiarmid / Getty Images)

Former pop star Gary Glitter, whose real name is Paul Gadd, has been released from a U.K. prison after serving half of a 16-year sentence for attempted rape, four counts of indecent assault, and one count of having sex with a girl under 13.

The “Rock and Roll (Part 2)” singer, who was previously convicted for child pornography and spent time in a Vietnamese jail, assaulted three girls between 1975 and 1980. “You did all of them real and lasting damage and you did so for no other reason than to obtain sexual gratification for yourself of a wholly improper kind,” Judge Alistair McCreath told Glitter at his 2015 sentencing. Judge McCreath also indicated that he would’ve liked to give the singer a longer sentence, but he needed to adhere to the “less severe” maximum sentences allowed at the time when the crimes were committed.

Glitter, now 78, took “advantage of the star status afforded to him by targeting young girls who trusted him and were in awe of his fame,” according to Detective Chief Inspector Mick Orchard of the Metropolitan Police. Because he received a “fixed-term sentence,” he was automatically released halfway through its term.

Glitter will be required to wear a GPS monitor and will be “closely monitored” by authorities, although he will not be added to the national sex offenders’ registry because his crimes were committed before its introduction.

His arrest was spurred by the “Operation Yewtree” investigation into BBC host Jimmy Savile, who was accused of sexually abusing approximately 300 children and adolescents during his on-air career. Glitter has denied all charges.