Marylebone paedophile 70s pop star Gary Glitter loses conviction appeal

Paedophile 70s pop star Gary Glitter has lost a challenge against his conviction for sexually abusing three schoolgirls.

The disgraced singer, whose real name is Paul Gadd and lived in Bickenhall Mansions on Bickenhall Street, argued that he did not have a fair trial.

Today at the Court of Appeal, Lord Justice Treacy, Mrs Justice Elisabeth Laing and Sir David Maddison rejected Gadd’s complaints centred on adverse publicity, the trial judge’s refusal to stay the proceedings against him as an “abuse of process”, and that his defence team had insufficient time to prepare his case.

The 71-year-old was not present in court to hear the judges dismiss his application for permission to appeal.

Gadd was jailed in February for 16 years after he was found guilty at Southwark Crown Court of one count of attempted rape, one of unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 13, and four counts of indecent assault.

Jurors heard the abuse relating to a girl aged 12, one of 13, and another aged under 10, was committed when he was at the height of his fame.

Allegations against him only came to light decades later when he became the first person to be arrested under Operation Yewtree, the investigation launched by the Metropolitan Police in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal.

Glitter has a string of hits as part of the glam rock scene, scoring number one hits with I’m The Leader Of The Gang (I Am), I Love You Love Me Love and Always Yours.