Gary Glitter facing 'child sex' probe in Vietnam

Vietnamese police have launched a criminal investigation into former British rock star Gary Glitter following allegations that he indulged in lewd acts with a minor.

Police in southern Ba-Ria Vung Tau province are investigating Glitter on charges of “obscene acts with a child,” the Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper said.

Glitter, 61, who has been living in the coastal resort of Vung Tau since March, had been seen with two Vietnamese girls whom he later took to his home, it said.

Glitter left his rented home a week ago, the report said.

A police manhunt for Glitter has stretched to Ho Chi Minh City, 50 miles northwest of Vung Tau, the newspaper said.

Vung Tau police said Glitter, whose real name is Paul Francis Gadd, was allegedly involved with two girls under the age of 18 but declined to elaborate further.

Earlier this week, the Foreign Ministry said officials had confirmed that Glitter was renting a home in Vung Tau and had applied for permanent resident status in Vietnam.

Authorities had interviewed a 15-year-old girl whom they found in Glitter’s home, ministry spokesman Le Dung said.

“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,” he said.

Under Vietnamese law, the charge of obscene acts with a minor carries a penalty of one to five years in jail.

Glitter, who rose to fame with a glam rock act in the 1970s, is perhaps best known for “Rock and Roll (Part 2),” which is still frequently played at sporting events.

Glitter was convicted in Britain in 1999 of possessing child pornography and served half of a four-month jail sentence before being released. He later went to Cambodia and was permanently expelled in 2002, though Cambodian officials did not specify his crime or file charges.