An Unemotional Gary Glitter Is Handed His Sentence

Former pop star Gary Glitter today received a 16-year prison sentence after being convicted of sexually abusing three young girls in the 1970s. The 70-year-old singer, whose real name is Paul Gadd, showed no response as he was sentenced in London. He had been found guilty earlier this month of one count of attempted rape, four counts of indecent assault, and one count of sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of 13. In sentencing, Judge Alistair McCreath cited "no real evidence" that Glitter had "atoned" for what he had done, and noted that he was restricted to the maximum sentences that were in place when the crimes took place—a time when "the sentencing climate was less severe."

To wit, the BBC reports that the count related to sex with a child under 13 would today be considered rape of a child, which could garner a life sentence. The singer was arrested in October 2012 under Operation Yewtree, the national investigation British police launched in the wake of a child abuse scandal surrounding the late BBC entertainer Jimmy Savile. Glitter is best known for the hit "Rock & Roll (Part 2)," but he fell into disgrace after being convicted on child abuse charges in Vietnam. (More Gary Glitter stories.)