Sex-charge Gary Glitter is told: Take sunglasses off in court!
GARY GLITTER was told off for wearing sunglasses in court yesterday as he faced historical child sex charges.
The 1970s glam rock star entered the dock at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in dark glasses, a white linen suit, waistcoat, black pocket handkerchief and red and white striped shirt.
His barrister Christopher Ware said the glasses were for a medical condition and no ‘disrespect to the court’ was intended.
But magistrate Emma Arbuthnot was unimpressed and said they would not be acceptable at his next appearance.
Glitter, 70, who lives in a £1.2million apartment in Marylebone, central London, appeared under his real name of Paul Gadd for the ten-minute hearing. Using a hearing aid to follow proceedings, he
He used a hearing aid
spoke loudly to confirm his name, address and date of birth.
He faces eight charges involving two girls who were aged between 12 and 14 over four years until the end of 1980.
The singer is accused of indecently assaulting one victim four times, as well as having unlawful sex with her when she was under the age of 13. He is also accused of plying her with alcohol before having sex with her in early 1977.
Two charges of indecent assault relate to the second girl, who was allegedly attacked between October 1979 and December 1980.
Glitter was the first person to be arrested by detectives from Scotland Yard’s Operation Yewtree, who were present in court.
He was re-bailed at least five times as more than a dozen other celebrities were arrested and questioned. Earlier this month he became the fifth person to be charged when the Crown Prosecutions Service announced he would go on trial.
The high-profile Yewtree probe was launched as police were flooded with complaints from potential victims after entertainer Jimmy Savile was exposed as a prolific paedophile.
Glitter was released on bail on the condition that he gives up his passport and ordered to appear at Southwark Crown Court on July 3.
The maximum sentence for unlawful sex with a girl under 13 is life imprisonment. Indecent assault carries a maximum sentence of five years.