Gary Glitter
Gary Glitter has appeared in court charged with sexual offences dating back to the 1970s against a young girl Andy Thornley/Flickr

Gary Glitter has appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London, where the 82-year-old former pop star denied four historical sex offence charges dating back to 1978 on Wednesday. Glitter, whose real name is Paul Gadd, followed the brief hearing via video link from prison. He was told he will next appear at the Old Bailey on 2 September.

The Metropolitan Police said Gadd had been charged with one count of unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 13 and three counts of indecent assault on a girl under 14. The offences are alleged to have taken place between 1978 and 1981 at a residential address in Kensington, west London, when the complainant was aged between eight and 11. There is a single alleged victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons and is being supported by specialist officers.

According to the Met, the woman first reported the allegations on 9 January 2025, prompting an investigation, with Gadd interviewed under caution on 22 July 2025. The Crown Prosecution Service later authorised charges after assessing the evidence. Bethan David, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor in CPS London, said prosecutors had determined there was sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction and that bringing the charges was in the public interest.

Glitter Denies Historical Sex Offence Charges at Old Bailey Hearing

At Wednesday's hearing, Glitter appeared on screen from HMP Channings Wood in Devon. Addressing Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring, he said: 'Your honour, excuse me, I'm extremely deaf and unless I'm lip-reading I can't hear. My name is Paul Gadd,' asking that the volume be adjusted to avoid distortion in his hearing aids.

Prosecutor Jonathan Polnay KC told the court the complainant lived near Glitter's Kensington home, alleging he would give her chocolate and invite her into his house, where he committed 'a number of serious sexual offences.' Polnay said Gadd had told police in interview that he did not know the complainant and that the allegations were false.

Because the indictment includes an offence of unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 13, which can only be tried in the Crown Court, Goldspring sent all four charges to the Old Bailey. He told Gadd: 'You face charges that include an offence which is indictable only, which means only the Crown Court can deal with it.' Gadd was remanded in custody, with no plea entered in open court beyond an indication through counsel that he denies the charges.

Glitter's Glam Rock Legacy and Previous Convictions

Glitter was one of the biggest names of the glam rock era, reportedly selling 18 million records in five years in the early 1970s with hits including Rock And Roll (Parts One And Two) and I'm The Leader Of The Gang (I Am). His UK chart success faded by the mid-1980s, though his songs remained fixtures at sporting events long after.

That legacy has been affected in the two decades since by previous convictions for child abuse offences, though those are not part of the current proceedings, which concern only the fresh charges before the court. The Metropolitan Police said the alleged victim in this case has been kept informed of developments and is receiving specialist support.

The Old Bailey is expected to set a timetable, including any trial date, when the case returns on 2 September. All charges remain allegations. Glitter is entitled in law to be presumed innocent until a jury hears the evidence.

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