Gary Glitter arrested in Vietnam
Former glam rock star Gary Glitter has been arrested in Vietnam where police want to question him about alleged child sex offences.
The 61-year-old was detained at Ho Chi Minh airport as he tried to board a plane to Bangkok.
An immigration official recognised his name from a newspaper article, state-controlled media reported.
A newspaper reported that police were investigating Glitter over allegations of "obscene acts with a child".
Police said Glitter was allegedly involved with two girls under the age of 18, but declined to elaborate.
Glitter was held on Saturday and taken back to the Ba-Ria Vung Tau province where he had been living.
Reports suggest the singer, real name Paul Francis Gadd, fled his rented home there a week ago.
The seventies rock star, best known for hit single Rock and Roll (Part 2), has been living in Vung Tau since March 2005.
Jail penalty
Ministry spokesman Le Dung said authorities had interviewed a 15-year-old girl whom they found in Glitter`s home, and a police manhunt for the rock star had reportedly been extended to the Vietnamese city Ho Chi Minh City.
"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," said Mr Le Dung.
Under Vietnamese law, the charge of obscene acts with a minor carries a penalty of one to five years in jail.
Earlier this week, the Foreign Ministry said officials had confirmed that Glitter had applied for permanent resident status in Vietnam.
Glitter was expelled from Cambodia in 2002, although no specific reason was given for his deportation.
He was convicted in the UK in 1999 of possessing child pornography and served two months in jail.
BBC.co.uk
|
