General Chat

Authorities in Vietnam are on the lookout for Gary Glitter, the bouffant-wigged British crooner best known in the United States for the ubiquitous sports anthem 'Rock and Roll, Part 2,' after receiving reports he was holed up in the country with an underage girl. The 61-year-old Glitter, whose real name is Paul Francis Gadd, pleaded guilty in Britain in 1999 to 54 charges of child pornography and served four months in prison. After his release, he surfaced first in Cuba, then Cambodia, where government officials expelled him at the behest of child rights advocates, though no charges were ever filed or any crime was alleged to have been committed. According to Vietnam's foreign ministry spokesman, Le Dung, police are now worried that the 'Do You Wanna Touch' singer may be on the prowl after learning that he rented a house in the resort town of Vung Tau and applied for permanent resident status. Wire service UPI reported that local authorities were first alerted to Glitter's presence after he was kicked out of a nightclub for copping a feel off a teenage waitress. 'He grabbed one of the girls and put his hand up her shorts,' bar owner Alan Davis said. 'We don't want that sort here.' Glitter, who has reportedly been in Vietnam for about a year, went AWOL from his seaside villa on Saturday and had not been seen since. The disappearance came after the country's official youth newspaper, Thanh Nien, ran a story quoting the entertainer's neighbors claiming he had taken home several underage girls--and was becoming a nuisance with his singing. 'At present, relevant authorities in Ba Ring Vung Tau province are trying to trace this gentleman and clarify the relationship between this gentleman and a Vietnamese juvenile,' Dung told reporters. Investigators discovered a 15-year-old girl living at Glitter's home. She is being questioned and examined to determine if any abuse had occurred. The police also want to interrogate Glitter. 'If evidence of a [legal] violation is found against Mr. Paul Francis, and especially evidence of sexual child abuse, I believe that very strict legal measures will apply to him,' Dung continued. The age of consent in the southeast Asian nation is 16. Punishment for having sex with a minor can reportedly range anywhere from 12 years in prison to the death penalty in extreme cases

I saw this yesterday. I was quite surprised, I thought he was still in jail over here. nell

Nell - he only seved 4 months!

I hope that - if he has gone missing it's because someone has 'done away with him' nasty old perv. Should of been locked up for life. And if he has been up to his old tricks - put him to death. Pen x (Who get's very cross with this sort of scum)

He was arrested last night trying to board a plane out of the country he was supposed to have been on the run with a 14yr old but it never mentioned her on ceefax

chop his bits off with a rusty spoon!

What a danger he is to young girls. I think we have been too lenient. He should have had a restraining order put on him. Once a paedophile always a paedophile. Jean x.

I'm typing this with an even temper, and my opinion is that men like this should have a certain part of their anatomy surgically removed; that way, they'd not be able to do what they can whilst 'whole'. What an absolutely foolish specimen of manhood he is.

I totally agree with you Glenys they should have their bits surgically removed, only with out the anaesthetic! Marie

Thanks, Marie - and a good point by you! Yes - agreed! (I've just read my first reply over again, and I sound an absolute snob!) x

The irony is that those countries are among the most notorious for child sex tourism. I just wish they spent as much time on the thousands of non-famous paedophiles as they are spending on Glitter.

But removing their 'bits' wouldn't necessarily remove the urge or their ability to abuse children. I do think paedophilia is not something that disappears because someone has served time in jail, however long/short that time is. I do think convicted paedophiles should be registered internationally so that all police forces wherever they are in the world should know about who and where they are. nell

You dont sound like a snob at all to me Glenys, just say what you feel like I do! your entitled to your opinion love. Marie

Quite right Helen it might not stop them completely, but its a good start! Then they should just put them all on an island in the middle of nowhere together and where they cant hurt innocent children and let them fend for themselves! or failing that just shoot them on sight! Marie

He makes me want to 'VOMIT' and all like him, its a disgrace that hes allowed to leave the country and prey on innocents in another country.

Twinkle, I agree with you completely. Why do these countries allow it to happen? Please tell me it isn't for the money they would lose from these 'tourists'.

Jean, I don't know. Lots of legitimate holidaymakers go there too, but you're right - gap-year backpackers probably don't spend as much cash as middle-aged sex tourists. A few months ago there was a programme (This World?) about prostitution in India featuring a police raid on a brothel. Most of the girls were underage, but the police didn't seem bothered. Some police took bribes to tip-off brothel owners, and others took the attitude that prostitution was a necessary part of society. It would be great if the Colombian/Vietnamese/whoever authorities decided to clamp down on this trade as a result of the furore over Glitter ..... but I won't hold my breath.

I agree with Nell there is no way chopping bits off people would do anything to stem the crime Gary Glitter was Jailed for. People seem to be forgetting he was found guilty of having downloaded images off the internet. At that time he was NOT charged or convicted of any offences against underage girls. But I do think he should not have been allowed to leave the Country, it is really unfair to export people like this to other Countries. I was reading the other day that many Countries that have been targeted by wealthy Western tourists (to these people in these tragically poor Countries a working person's wage in Europe or America is great wealth) for underage children, these Countries have been trying to clamp down on this & attract the legitimate tourists who have been put off by these paedaphiles Cambodia and Vietnam do not want a high profile person such as Glitter there & have already urged him to leave, he didn't & so he was being watched, now they may have caught him & he will be sent to prison for a very long time, if he is found guilty. Twinkle maybe in the end it will be money well spent as this will be a very high profile case & it may go a long way to deter other paedaphiles from thinking these poor Countries & their young children are an easy target for their Perversion, lets hope so. Pat x

I stand by my rusty spoon comment, and like was said, without Aneasthetic! Ouch!

I don't believe that paedophiles should ever be allowed to leave prison and whilst I appreciate that it would cost the tax payer a lot of money in my view it would be money well spent. I thought first that tagging would be enough but it doesn't stop them using the internet does it and whilst they are searching for these images there will always be scumbags willing to provide it! Julie xxx