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GARY Glitter is a disgraced pop star who made headlines for the crimes he committed.

He started out as a singer in the 1970s but his career came crashing down when he was convicted in 1999.

 Paedophile Gary Glitter was jailed for a second time for child sex offences in 2015
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Paedophile Gary Glitter was jailed for a second time for child sex offences in 2015

Who is Gary Glitter?

Gary Glitter, real name Paul Francis Gadd, is a former singer and convicted paedophile.

Born on May 8, 1944, in Banbury, Oxfordshire, he found fame at the age of 28 when he joined the emerging glam rock scene under the name Gary Glitter.

His songs included the No1 hits I’m The Leader Of The Gang (I Am), I Love You Love Me Love. and Always Yours.

By 1975 he had sold 18 million records.

Glitter's paedophilia first came to light in 1997 when he was caught with 4,000 images of child sexual abuse.

He was first jailed in 1999 for downloading images of child abuse.

Glitter was then caged in Vietnam in 2006 for molesting two girls aged 11 and 12 before being released in 2008.

The singer was then jailed in the UK in 2015 for 16 years for sexually abusing three young girls between 1975 and 1980.

In 2024, Glitter is the subject of a new feature-length documentary on ITV called The Popstar Paedophile.

This new film weaves historical victim testimony, archive and interviews with those who met Glitter on the showbiz circuit.

Pop paedo Gary Glitter, 79, tells prison pals he believes he’ll die in jail after losing latest parole bid

It also includes the lawyers involved in both the prosecution and defence of Glitter during the different trials across the decades.

The documentary also shows contributors who have never spoken in a documentary about Glitter before.

How many offences did Gary Glitter commit?

Glitter was found guilty of one count of attempted rape and one count of unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 13.

He was also found guilty of four counts of indecent assault.

All six offences were committed in the 1970s and 80s.

 Gary Glitter lived a double life. Credit: Minnow Films / ITV
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Gary Glitter lived a double life. Credit: Minnow Films / ITV

Where is Gary Glitter now?

Glitter had been held at HMP Albany on the Isle of Wight.

In 2018, The Sun revealed he had been moved to a "cushy prison" for sex offenders.

HMP The Verne had a £3.3million makeover to become a Category C jail solely to house perverts.

Prisoners reportedly have 20-inch flatscreen TVs, tea making facilities in their cells, and are allowed to walk freely around their wing 24 hours a day.

A source told The Sun: “It’s like a holiday camp in there. To think some of these people have raped children, the public would be disgusted to see how they live.

“Because it’s all sex offenders together they feel safe and there is no trouble.

“They are given special privileges because they are older prisoners who are deemed to be well behaved.”

The Verne is on the Isle of Portland in Dorset.

It was turned into an immigration removal centre in 2013 and ran until 2017 when it was converted back to a prison.

On February 3, 2023, the disgraced star was released.

But on March 13, 2023, it was revealed the former rock star had been sent back to jail for breaking bail rules just a month after being released.

On February 7, 2024, it was announced that Glitter's appeal for parole had been turned down.

The Parole Board said: "It found on the evidence that at the time of the offending, and while he was on licence, Mr Gadd had a sexual interest in underage girls."

How long did Gary Glitter spend in prison?

Glitter was sentenced to 16 years in prison.

He was jailed in 2015 and released in February 2023.

The Sun first broke the news of his impending release in January 2023.

In March 2023, it was reported that Glitter had been jailed again with police checking his phone's activity after a Sun tip-off that he was talking about accessing the Dark Web.

Is Gary Glitter married and does he have children?

Glitter was in a relationship with Yudenia Sosa Martinez before being arrested in 1997.

They had a son named Gary Pantoja Sosa, while residing in Cuba.

Gary Jr lives in Gran Canaria and is a tattoo artist.

In 2023, he revealed that he has never met his dad.

He said: “I have never met my father in person, because that has never been possible, but we speak on the phone all the time.”

Speaking to the , he continued: “I never get the impression that he is depressed. I hope we will get to meet each other finally.

“My dream is that we will live in the same country.

“I don't know how we will make that happen, but we have talked about it, and it's possible I will live with my father.”

Glitter reportedly supported Yudenia financially when he was behind bars.

Gary Jr apparently refuses to accept his father is guilty of abusing children and views his string of convictions as a conspiracy against his old man.

Glitter moved to Cambodia in South-East Asia shortly after his Cuban son was born.

Before Yudenia, the disgraced pop star was married to Ann Murton and they had two children – Paul and Sarah.

The couple were married for nine years from 1963 to 1972.

 Glitter's crimes spanned the globe. Credit: Minnow Films / ITV
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Glitter's crimes spanned the globe. Credit: Minnow Films / ITV

What is Gary Glitter's net worth?

Glitter no longer owns the rights to his songs — which means he does not receive royalties for them.

His songs are believed to be blacklisted on all UK radio stations, but there are stations in the US that still play them.

He is believed to own a flat in London - thought to be worth £2million - but it is controlled by a former associate through a company.

His net worth is believed to be in the region of £6.5million.

In March 2024, he faced having to pay £700,000 in compensation to one of his victims.

Catch The Popstar Paedophile is on ITV on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, at 9pm.

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