Glitter charged with obscene acts

Gary Glitter has been held in Vietnam since November

British former rock star Gary Glitter has been formally charged with committing obscene acts with two girls in Vietnam, a prosecutor has said.

The prosecutor in the southern province of Ba Ria Vung Tau, where 61-year-old Glitter lives, said the charges carry prison terms of three to seven years.

Glitter, real name Paul Gadd, has been held since November as he tried to flee the country over child sex allegations.

A charge of child rape was dropped in December because of a lack of evidence.

The obscene acts were allegedly committed against two girls aged 12 and 13 at Glitter's home in Vung Tau.

Payments

He is alleged to have fondled and kissed the girls as well as engaged in other physical acts.

Next week the prosecutors will hand the case to the provincial court, which is expected to decide within the month whether Glitter will go to trial.

Last month, Glitter's lawyer made compensatory payments to the families of the girls, who have appealed to the courts for clemency for Glitter.

Glitter was convicted of possessing child porn in Britain in 1999 and served half of a four-month jail sentence.

He later went to Cambodia, which permanently expelled him in 2002.