LONDON – Former pop star Gary Glitter was released from prison in England on Friday after serving half of a 16-year sentence for sexually abusing three young women in the 1970s.
The 79-year-old singer, whose real name is Paul Gad, has been released from a prison in Dorset, southwest England. In the U.K. it is common for offenders to serve half of their sentences and then be placed on probation.
“Sex offenders like Paul Gadd are monitored by the police and probation servic. And face some strict license conditions, including being fitted with a GPS tag.” The Ministry of Justice said in a statement. “If the offender violates these conditions at any time, they can go back to jail.”
The singer was convicted of one count of attempted rape, four counts of indecent assault and one count of having sex with a girl under 13.
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Glitter was arrested in October 2012 under Operation Yeatree. A national inquiry launched in the wake of the child abuse scandal surrounding the late BBC entertainer Jimmy Savile.
Glitter is best known for the 1972 hit “Rock and Roll (Part 2),” but fell into disrepute after being convicted of child abuse in Vietnam.
