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Court artist sketch by Elizabeth Cook of Gary Glitter appearing at Southwark Crown Court in London, where he is accused of a string of historic sex offences against three girls. Elizabeth Cook
London

Former rock star Gary Glitter begins trial on child sex charges

The singer denies all charges in the current case.

ONE-TIME BRITISH glam rocker Gary Glitter went on trial Monday on charges he sexually abused three under-age female fans in the 1970s and 1980s.

The 70-year-old musician, whose real name is Paul Gadd, faces 10 counts including attempted rape, indecent assault and unlawful intercourse.

The singer denies all charges in the current case.

Prosecutor John Price described to the court how a drunken Gadd had tried to force himself on a girl, who was aged under 10 at the time, in the mid-1970s.

The girl “did not, in fact, have the capacity to consent to such an act,” Price said.

The alleged victim only came forward 20 years after the incident when she saw Gadd had admitted in 1999 to child pornography charges. Illicit images were allegedly found on a laptop he had put in for repair.

He is also accused of molesting two young fans that he first met in his dressing room after a concert that their mothers had taken them to in 1977.

One of the girls was 12 years old at the time.

The prosecution alleges that Gadd had sex with one of the two on another occasion when she was 13 years old and after he had plied her with champagne.

Gadd shot to fame in the 1970s and had over 20 hit singles like “I’m the Leader of the Gang (I am)”, “I Love You Love Me Love” and “Always Yours”.

© – AFP 2015

Read: Gary Glitter denies 10 charges of sexual offences against three girls

Read: Delay in Gary Glitter’s trial for sex offences against teenage girls