Gary Glitter refused entry to Hong Kong
Wednesday, 20 Aug 2008 18:30
Ex-popstar Gary Glitter has refused to board a flight to UK
Chinese authorities have refused Gary Glitter entry to Hong Kong after he arrived on a flight from Thailand instead of returning to the UK.
Glitter was released from prison in Vietnam yesterday after serving almost three years for sexual molestation of underage girls.
He was later deported from the country and put on a flight bound for the UK via Thailand. But when he arrived in Thailand he attempted to enter the country on medical grounds complaining he was suffering from a heart attack and refused to board his connecting flight to Britain.
Thai immigration officials refused the ex-pop star entry and instead said they intended to ensure he was deported back to the UK.
Thailand's immigration reportedly declared Glitter "persona non grata" and eventually released a statement confirming the disgraced star would be deported.
"We are barring entry to Paul Francis Gadd and will be deporting him to his home country, England, unconditionally and even if he does not wish to board the plane," the statement said.
"We are now waiting to return him to England as soon as possible."
19 other countries have reportedly already said they would also refuse Glitter entry.
Glitter was sentenced to three years for "obscene acts with children" after being jailed in November 2005.
His sentence was reduced by three months for good behaviour in February this year.
Should Glitter return to the UK he will be met by police and forced to sign the sex offenders register.
In 1999 he was sentenced to four months in jail in the UK after pleading guilty to charges of downloading pornography depicting children being abused.
He shot to fame in the 1970s for his glam-rock performances of songs including I Love You Love Me Love and Do You Wanna Touch Me.