Disgraced former pop star Gary Glitter is facing a new round of child sex charges tied to allegations from the late 1970s, adding another dark chapter to the convicted predator’s decades-long fall from fame.
Glitter, whose real name is Paul Gadd, has been charged in the U.K. with one count of unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 13 and three counts of indecent assault on a girl under 14, according to the Crown Prosecution Service. Prosecutors said the case stems from allegations made by a woman who claims she was abused between 1978 and 1981.
“The Crown Prosecution Service has decided to prosecute Paul Gadd,” Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor Bethan David said, adding that prosecutors believe there is enough evidence to bring the case to court and that doing so is in the public interest.
The new charges come as Glitter remains behind bars after a failed return to freedom. The former glam-rock star was released on licence in 2023 after serving part of a 16-year sentence, but he was recalled to prison just weeks later for breaching the conditions of his release. Reports at the time said he had been caught asking about how to access the dark web, a move that triggered alarm among officials.
Glitter, now in his 80s, was sentenced in 2015 after being convicted of historic sex crimes involving three schoolgirls. The convictions included attempted rape, indecent assault and sexual activity with a child, with offenses dating back to the height of his fame in the 1970s and 1980s.
His criminal history stretches back even further. In 1999, he was jailed for possessing child abuse images. In 2006, he was convicted in Vietnam of obscene acts involving two girls, ages 10 and 11, and later deported.
Recent reports have also described Glitter as increasingly frail in prison. According to RadarOnline and other tabloid reports, the former singer is said to be suffering from declining health, reduced mobility and severe hearing problems while living in a protected prison unit. Those claims have not been independently confirmed by officials, but they have fueled speculation that Glitter may never walk free again.
His chances of release have already taken another major blow. In 2025, the U.K. Parole Board rejected his bid to leave prison, with reports saying officials remained concerned about the risk he posed to the public.
Once known for stadium-shaking hits like “Rock and Roll Part 2,” Glitter’s music career collapsed under the weight of repeated child sex convictions. His songs have largely disappeared from public life, and his name is now tied less to glam-rock fame than to one of the most notorious abuse scandals in British entertainment.
The latest charges mean Glitter could face yet another courtroom fight while still serving time for his previous convictions.
