Gary Glitter won’t be released from prison, Parole Board rules

Published

2 years ago

February 7, 2024

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Disgraced singer Gary Glitter will not be released from prison, the Parole Board has said.

The 79-year-old was recalled to jail less than six weeks after he was released halfway through his 16-year sentence in February last year for breaching his licence conditions by allegedly viewing downloaded images of children.

A parole hearing to decide whether he should be freed again was held behind closed doors two weeks ago after a request for it to take place in public was turned down on the grounds that it was too difficult to contact all his victims.

A Parole Board panel decided it was “not satisfied that release at this point would be safe for the protection of the public”, it was announced today.

Glitter, whose real name is Paul Gadd, was jailed in 2015 for sexually abusing three schoolgirls between 1975 and 1980.

He attacked two girls, aged 12 and 13, after inviting them backstage to his dressing room and isolating them from their mothers.

In 1975, the singer crept into the bed of his third victim – a girl who was aged under 10 at the time – in an attempt to rape her.

The allegations came to light 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.

He was automatically released from HMP The Verne, a low-security prison in Portland, Dorset, last year after serving half of his 16-year fixed-term determinate sentence.

The panel reviewing his case found the decision to recall him to prison “was justified” and found “on the evidence that at the time of the offending, and while he was on licence, Mr Gadd had a sexual interest in underage girls”.

“There was also concern about the lack of victim empathy which he had continued to show,” a summary of the decision said.

While his behaviour in prison had been generally good, he had not taken part in any programmes to address his offending because he continues to deny having a sexual interest in children, it added.

Richard Scorer, a lawyer who represents one of Glitter’s victims, said the Parole Board made the “right decision” because he “remains a risk to children and has never shown any remorse”.

“Releasing him would have been utterly wrong and we are glad the parole board has done the right thing,” he said.

“We only hope that Glitter will now serve this full sentence – it is completely unfair that our client has to endure this Glitter parole circus over and over again.”

The glam rocker had a string of chart hits in the 1970s, but his fall from grace began in the late 1990s when he was jailed for possessing thousands of child abuse images.

He was expelled from Cambodia in 2002 amid reports of sex crime allegations and was convicted of sexually abusing two girls, aged 10 and 11, in Vietnam in 2006, for which he spent two and a half years in jail.

UK

Search for suspects after ‘pepper spray assault’ at Heathrow Airport

Published

5 hours ago

December 7, 2025

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Search for suspects after 'pepper spray assault' at Heathrow Airport

Police are investigating after a “number of people” were believed to have been attacked with pepper spray by a group of men who then fled.

Officers were called at 8.11am to a multi-storey car park at Terminal 3 following reports of multiple people being assaulted, said the Metropolitan Police.

A statement by the force said: “A number of people were sprayed with what is believed to be a form of pepper spray by a group of men who then left the scene.”

What we know so far
• Several assaulted with ‘pepper spray’
• One arrest – police hunt for more suspects
• Incident said to involve people known to each other
• Incident not being treated as terrorism
• 21 people treated by ambulance service – five taken to hospital
• Injuries not believed to be life-threatening
• Traffic disruption reported – but train lines since reopened

Live updates on Heathrow incident

Armed police attended and one man was arrested on suspicion of assault. He remains in custody and enquiries continue to trace further suspects.

Police are not treating the Heathrow incident as terrorism.

London Ambulance Service also attended the scene and treated 21 people, including five who were taken to hospital. Their injuries are not believed to be life-changing or life-threatening.

There is currently some disruption to traffic in the area and Terminal 3 remains open.

Increased police presence

Commander Peter Stevens said: “At this stage, we believe the incident involved a group of people known to each other, with an argument escalating and resulting in a number of people being injured.

“Our officers responded quickly and there will be an increased police presence at Heathrow Airport throughout the morning, to continue enquiries and ensure the safety of those in the area.

“We are not treating this incident as terrorism. I understand the public’s concerns and would like to thank those in the area for their cooperation this morning.”

‘Significant incident’

The London Ambulance Service said a “significant incident” was declared.

There was a “full deployment” of resources and the ambulance service is treating it as ongoing.

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “We were called at 8.14am today to assist emergency service colleagues at an incident near Terminal 3 at Heathrow Airport. Firefighters remain at the scene.”

Heathrow is advising passengers to allow extra time when travelling to the airport and to check with their airline for any queries.

There was disruption to train and Tube services, with some delays on the Elizabeth Line and the Piccadilly Line.

National Rail said on its website that lines had been reopened allowing trains to call at Heathrow “following the emergency services dealing with an incident at the airport”.

It said: “Although lines have now reopened, disruption is expected to continue whilst services return to normal, delays of up to 10 minutes and cancellations can be expected until 11.45am.”

National Highways East said on X: “A serious incident within the @HeathrowAirport Tunnel has resulted in the closure of the #M4 spur road southbound between M4 and J4A.

“@metpoliceuk responding. We’ll keep you updated.”

It later said: “Incident has been resolved and all closures lifted on the #M4 southbound @HeathrowAirport spur road between #M4 and J4A.”

People on social media have reported vehicles were being searched at the airport.

A user on X said there was a “major backlog of cars unable to leave the vicinity or enter the drop-off zone” at Terminal 3.

In footage on X, several armed police were seen in a car park.

UK

England and Scotland fans discover where their opening World Cup games will be played

Published

23 hours ago

December 6, 2025

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England and Scotland fans discover where their opening World Cup games will be played

England and Scotland fans have found out where their World Cup group games will be played when the tournament kicks off in June.

England, who are in Group L, will begin their tournament against Croatia in Dallas at 4pm EST (9pm BST) on 17 June. They will then go on to face Ghana in Boston at 4pm EST (9pm BST) on 23 June and Panama in New Jersey, New York, at 5pm EST (10pm BST) on 27 June.

Scotland are in Group C, and their first match will be against Haiti in Boston at 9pm EST on 13 June (2am GMT the following morning).

They will go up against Morocco also in Boston at 6pm EST (11pm GMT) on 19 June and then Brazil in Miami at 6pm EST (11pm GMT) on 24 June.

Fans are expected to rush to sort their travel and accommodation plans now that they know where and when the matches take place.

Wales and Northern Ireland have yet to find out if they will qualify.

Wales must face a play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cardiff, then either Italy or Northern Ireland, if they are victorious.

If they beat these play-off opponents, they will secure their place in Group B alongside Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.

However, Northern Ireland will also be vying to guarantee their spot in the same group if they can beat Italy and then either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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UK

World Cup 2026 – who England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland will play

Published

1 day ago

December 6, 2025

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World Cup 2026 - who England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland will play

Scotland and England now know who they will face in the group stage of the next summer’s world cup.

But the fates of Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Wales won’t be determined until they compete in pre-tournament play-off matches in March.

England are in Group L along with Croatia, Panama and Ghana. Their first match will be against Croatia, who beat them in the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Scotland’s first match will be against Haiti, in Group C.

Brazil and Morocco are the other Group C teams – both countries were also in the same opening group as Scotland in the 1998 World Cup in France.

Wales have yet to find out if they will qualify as they must face a play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cardiff, and then either Italy or Northern Ireland, if they are victorious.

If they can overcome these play-off opponents then they will secure their place in Group B along with Canada, Qatar and Switzerland. But Northern Ireland will also be vying and hoping to guarantee their spot in the same group if they can beat Italy and then either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Republic of Ireland also need to get through the play-offs first and are paired against the Czech Republic for their semi-final. Should Ireland win that match, they will need to beat either North Macedonia or Denmark to get to the finals where an opening group containing joint hosts Mexico, South Africa and South Korea awaits.