LONDON: Glam rock star Gary Glitter was sentenced to 16 years in prison on Friday after being found guilty of abusing three young girls in the latest child sex scandal to bring down a former icon of Britain’s entertainment world.

Glitter, 70, whose real name is Paul Gadd, was convicted of one count of attempted rape, four counts of indecent assault and one count of sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of 13.

“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 the singer.

Fans of the singer were in the court’s public gallery during the sentencing as the entertainer, dressed in a black velvet coat, was led from the dock.

Glitter was at the height of his fame as a musician when he attacked his victims, and investigators said he targeted young girls who were in awe of him.—AFP

Published in Dawn, February 28th, 2015

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