Gary Glitter may face death by firing squad

DISGRACED ’70s rock star Gary Glitter could face death by firing squad after he was accused of having sex with a girl aged just 12, police in Vietnam said yesterday.

Sexual intercourse with a 12-year old regardless of whether there is consent is still considered rape under Vietnamese law, with a maximum penalty of death before a firing squad, according to the police.

The revelations come after two girls, aged 12 and 18 years old, told the police they had sex with the former singer - real name Paul Francis Gadd - at his rented home in the southern resort of Vung Tau in Vietnam.

There were conflicting reports that the second girl had not yet turned 18.

Under Vietnamese law, sexual contact with a minor carries varying degrees of penalties, depending on the charge.

“Obscene acts with a child” can lead to up to 12 years in prison while child rape carries the maximum penalty of death before a firing squad.

The 61-year-old former singer was arrested on Saturday at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City as he tried to flee the country.

He left his rented home in Vung Tau a week ago amid allegations about his relationships with two teenage girls.

Glitter has been taken back to Vung Tau for further investigation by the police.

He has not been charged with any crime but remains in custody at a jail outside the coastal city, police said.

Vung Tau police said yesterday they were continuing to investigate the case and will be questioning him further.

The case has been highly publicised in the state-controlled media, which had reported that Glitter was seen in Vung Tau with several teenage girls, whom he invited to his home, since moving to the area in March.

Thanh Nien (Youth) newspaper reported today that the two girls were invited to Glitter’s home, where he paid them for sex.

The 12-year-old told police she had sex three times with Glitter, who paid her e8.25 each time, the paper said.

Police would not confirm whether either of the girls claimed they were paid for sex.

Last week, the foreign ministry said Glitter had been living in Vung Tau since March and had applied for permanent resident status in Vietnam.

Authorities interviewed a 15-year-old girl 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,” Dung said.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: “We are aware of the arrest of a British national and consular support is being provided.”

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, reportedly for trawling for underage sex, although Cambodian officials did not specify his crime or file charges.