Gary Glitter Arrested By UK Police

Glitter (right), as he was escorted into a police vehicle Sunday morning (10-28-2012)

LONDON (AP) — The sex abuse scandal surrounding the late BBC children's television host Jimmy Savile widened on Sunday as police arrested former glam rock star and convicted sex offender Gary Glitter in connection with the case, British media said.

Police would not directly identify the suspect arrested Sunday, but media including the BBC and Press Association reported he was the 68-year-old Glitter. The musician made it big with the crowd-pleasing hit "Rock & Roll (Part 2)," a mostly instrumental anthem that has been a staple at American sporting events thanks to its catchy "hey" chorus. But he fell into disgrace after being convicted on child abuse charges in Britain and Vietnam.

On Sunday, the BBC and Sky News showed footage of Glitter, who wore a hat, a dark coat and sunglasses, being taken from his home by officers and driven away. British police do not generally identify suspects under arrest by name until they are charged. When asked about Glitter, a spokesman said only that the force arrested a man in his 60s early Sunday morning in London on suspicion of sexual offenses in connection with the Savile probe. He remains in custody in a London police station, police said.

Hundreds of potential victims have come forward since police began their investigation into sex abuse allegations against Savile, the longtime host of popular shows "Top of the Pops" and "Jim'll Fix It" who died at age 84 last year. Most allege abuse by Savile, but some said they were abused by Savile and others.

Glitter is the first suspect to be arrested in the scandal, which has raised questions about whether the BBC turned a blind eye to the alleged sexual crimes. It was not immediately clear if Glitter, whose real name is Paul Gadd, and Savile knew each other.

Glitter rose to fame in the 1970s with a string of U.K. hits and his look of shiny jumpsuits, silver platform shoes and bouffant wigs, but his music has often been shunned since his abuse convictions. In 2006, the NFL advised its football teams not to use the Glitter version of "Rock and Roll (Part 2)" at games.

Glitter was jailed in Britain in 1999 for possessing child pornography, and convicted in 2006 in Vietnam of committing "obscene acts with children" — offenses involving girls aged 10 and 11. He was deported back to Britain in 2008.

Police have said that though the majority of cases it is investigating related to Savile alone, some involved the entertainer and other, unidentified suspects. In addition, some potential victims who reported abuse by Savile also told police about separate allegations against unidentified men that did not involve the BBC host.

The scandal has horrified Britain with revelations that Savile cajoled and coerced vulnerable teens into having sex with him in his car, in his camper van, and even in dingy dressing rooms on BBC premises.

One witness told the BBC that she once saw Glitter having sex with a schoolgirl in Savile's dressing room at the broadcaster's TV center in the 1970s. Glitter has denied the allegations. On Sunday, the chairman of the BBC Trust said he was committed to finding out the true scale of the scandal to save the broadcaster's reputation.

"Can it really be the case that no one knew what he was doing? Did some turn a blind eye to criminality? Did some prefer not to follow up their suspicions because of this criminal's popularity and place in the schedules?" Chris Patten wrote in The Mail on Sunday.

The BBC has set up an independent inquiry into the corporation's culture and practices in the years Savile worked there. It also launched a separate inquiry into whether its journalists dropped an investigation into the allegations.

Really amazing that still and video cameras just "happened" to be there.

What a waste of skin...

I think that it's a terrible, terrible shame that a man of talent like Glitter is and was involved in this kind of thing. Seriously...

I'm just a bit skeptic of this:

One witness told the BBC that she once saw Glitter having sex with a schoolgirl in Savile's dressing room at the broadcaster's TV center in the 1970s. Glitter has denied the allegations.

How can we be so sure now, in 2012, that this is the truth and not just, you know, "jumping on the bandwagon"? I mean... You have all the connections there - BBC, that Savile man, Glitter being a sexual offender... I don't know, as much as I know that this man done some terrible things, we always have to look out for what's true and what's not. We shall see. But I think that it's convenient.


I still think that it's all a terrible shame (for Glitter, I mean). I can't understand what leads people to do this kind of thing.

The pair of them always made my skin creep, even then. Especially Saville.

Fame and celebrity seem like such good things. YET, they can lead to all kinds of abuses.

Of interest might be the old "casting couch" mentality.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casting_couch

I hope the truth will come out.

I guess it was only a matter of time before they went calling on him. Freddie Starr seems to be getting worried.....

kinda gives "Do you wanna touch me there" a more poignant meaning

I think that it's a terrible, terrible shame that a man of talent like Glitter is and was involved in this kind of thing. Seriously...

I'm just a bit skeptic of this:

One witness told the BBC that she once saw Glitter having sex with a schoolgirl in Savile's dressing room at the broadcaster's TV center in the 1970s. Glitter has denied the allegations.

How can we be so sure now, in 2012, that this is the truth and not just, you know, "jumping on the bandwagon"? I mean... You have all the connections there - BBC, that Savile man, Glitter being a sexual offender... I don't know, as much as I know that this man done some terrible things, we always have to look out for what's true and what's not. We shall see. But I think that it's convenient.


I still think that it's all a terrible shame (for Glitter, I mean). I can't understand what leads people to do this kind of thing.

Lock him up and throw throw the key away !

A talentless piece of sh*t to begin with .

I guess it was only a matter of time before they went calling on him. Freddie Starr seems to be getting worried.....

I think Freddie is innocent,(only because i know him)

I guess it was only a matter of time before they went calling on him. Freddie Starr seems to be getting worried.....

I think Freddie is innocent,(only because i know him)

The police have stated they are not looking to interview Freddie...........

I guess it was only a matter of time before they went calling on him. Freddie Starr seems to be getting worried.....

I think Freddie is innocent,(only because i know him)

The police have stated they are not looking to interview Freddie...........

The press dont care about that,they are harrasingthe poor sod

Re-arresting Glitter is so predictable. Who next? Jonathon King? Len Fairclough?

Re-arresting Glitter is so predictable. Who next? Jonathon King? Len Fairclough?

As soonas they find a spade they will be having words with steptoes dad

LOL!

Re-arresting Glitter is so predictable. Who next? Jonathon King? Len Fairclough?

Peter Adamson who played Len Fairclough was actually found not guilty of what he was being accused of.

Also he died over 10 years ago.

Re-arresting Glitter is so predictable. Who next? Jonathon King? Len Fairclough?

Peter Adamson who played Len Fairclough was actually found not guilty of what he was being accused of.

Also he died over 10 years ago.

that wont matter

Peter Adamson who played Len Fairclough was actually found not guilty of what he was being accused of.

Also he died over 10 years ago.

Perfect!

Now's the time to nail him then....

I guess it was only a matter of time before they went calling on him. Freddie Starr seems to be getting worried.....

I think Freddie is innocent,(only because i know him)

The police have stated they are not looking to interview Freddie...........

Oops !

I spoke too soon !

I see he's been arrested now...................

I think they are turning this into a Witchunt now that they can't charge Savile.

The media are gonna have a field day.

I think they are turning this into a Witchunt now that they can't charge Savile.

The media are gonna have a field day.

that's the very word I used at the start of the Jimmy thread......'witch-hunt'. The media LOVE it

I saw the news breaking at teatime saying Freddie had been arrested....but i didn't want to offend Ken by posting it:-(

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0EGdbK9RtQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0EGdbK9RtQ

Well thats a great contribution to this topic.

I guess it was only a matter of time before they went calling on him. Freddie Starr seems to be getting worried.....

I think Freddie is innocent,(only because i know him)

The police have stated they are not looking to interview Freddie...........

Oops !

I spoke too soon !

I see he's been arrested now...................

Freddie did not do himself any favours with that interview he did with his young burd he looked and sounded ridiculous !!!

Freddie did not do himself any favours with that interview he did with his young burd he looked and sounded ridiculous !!!

He built a whole career by doing just that !