Glitter in court to face child abuse charges

Published on Friday 3 March 2006 01:49

VETERAN British rocker Gary Glitter went on trial yesterday on charges of molesting two young Vietnamese girls.

Entering the closed courtroom, Glitter made a two-finger victory sign and said only one word: "Innocent".

The former glam-rock star has been accused of committing obscene acts, including kissing, fondling and other physical acts, with a ten-year-old and an 11-year-old at his rented house in the southern port city of Vung Tau last year. He has denied the allegations. He faces three to seven years in prison if convicted.

The trial of Glitter, 61 - whose real name is Paul Francis Gadd - is closed to the public, but the verdict will be read publicly today.

Glitter was escorted out of the court for a lunch break after three and a half hours of testimony. Reporters shouted two questions, "Are the girls lying?" and "Did you plead innocent", to which he nodded in response to both.

At the end of the day's testimony, Glitter was led out, smiling broadly, but refusing to make any comments.

Afterwards, his lawyer, Le Thanh Kinh, said prosecutors had presented their case and recommended that Glitter be sentenced to three to four years in prison before being deported from Vietnam.

Prosecutors say they have compiled evidence that Glitter molested the two girls several times at his seaside villa, into which he moved last spring.