Paedophile and ex-pop star Gary Glitter has returned to Thailand after being refused entry to Hong Kong.

Chinese authorities informed the UK Foreign Office they had barred Glitter, real name Paul Gadd, from entry.

He was earlier deported from Vietnam after spending almost three years in jail for sexually abusing two girls.

He flew to Hong Kong from Bangkok after refusing to fly to Gary Glitter 'release date set' ...
No EDF takeover of British Energy ...
TNK-BP chief leaves Russia ...
Brown calls on Israel to freeze settlement construction ... the UK, and had made a plea for medical treatment after saying he was suffering a heart attack.

The former pop star had boarded a Thai Airways flight to the Chinese territory after the Thai authorities refused him entry and threatened to deport him to Britain.

Glitter sold millions of records as a glam rock star in the 1970s, with hits including I'm the Leader of the Gang.

Thai police had earlier told Reuters news agency they would be "deporting him to his home country, England, unconditionally".

The BBC's Jonathan Head says 19 countries have already said they would refuse Glitter entry.

If Glitter does return to the UK, he will be met at the airport by police and required to sign the register.

He will then be subject to monitoring and have to tell the police where he plans to live and if he planned to go abroad. He could also face an order prohibiting him from going near children or using the internet.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said on Tuesday it was her view that Glitter should be given a Foreign Travel Order (FTO) banning him from overseas travel.

Travel bans

Ms Smith has also announced plans to tighten controls on the movements of paedophiles.

Proposed measures include increasing the length of time an FTO can apply from six months to up to five years, and automatically confiscating the passport of anyone subject to an order.

At present, police are only allowed to rely on evidence from the previous six months about the risk an individual poses, but that time period would also be extended under the plans.

"I think these are sensible and proportional ways of toughening up what is already a very tough system. I think that's what we owe to children in this country and to children abroad," Ms Smith said.

The home secretary's announcement came after children's charity Ecpat UK accused the government of "turning a blind eye" to British sex tourists.

The charity said it was too easy for nationals convicted abroad to stay under the radar of British police upon their return.

(BBC)

<< Back