Gary Glitter reportedly freed from prison after serving half of sentence for abusing girls

Gary Glitter has reportedly been freed from prison after serving half of his jail sentence for abusing girls.

The disgraced glam rocker, 79, served half of his 16-year sentence for sexually abusing three schoolgirls, PA reports [via Sky News].

The news agency writes that the child sex offender left HMP The Verne – a low security category C jail in Portland, Dorset – earlier today (February 3). He is now subject to licence conditions.

Glitter, whose real name is Paul Gadd, was jailed for 16 years in February 2015 after being found guilty of abuse offences dating back to the ’70s and ’80s.

A spokesperson for the Ministry Of Justice told PA last year when rumours of his early release began circulating that sex offenders released from prison “are closely monitored by both the police and the Probation Service and may be recalled to jail if they breach their strict licence conditions”.

Gadd had several chart hits in the ’70s and preyed on his victims at the height of his fame.

He attacked two girls, aged 12 and 13, after inviting them backstage to his dressing room, and isolating them from their mothers. Gadd’s third victim was less than 10 years old when he entered her bed and attempted to rape her in 1975.

In 2015, Glitter was sentenced for attempted rape, four counts of indecent assault, and one of having sex with a girl under 13. Sentencing, Judge Alistair McCreath said that there was “no real evidence” that Gadd had atoned for his crimes.

The singer was previously convicted in 1999 for possession of child pornography and served four months in prison. After his release he relocated to Vietnam, where he was subsequently convicted for child sex abuse offences.

The news follows the rights holders of Glitter‘s musical back catalogue confirming in 2019 that he would not personally receive any royalties from the use of his 1972 song ‘Rock and Roll Part 2’ in the film Joker.