Gary Glitter faces more sex charges

THE ROCK star Gary Glitter has been charged with a further five sexual offences, Avon and Somerset police said last night. Glitter - whose real name is Paul Gadd - is accused of four offences of indecently assaulting a girl.

Police said that one charge dates from 1976 and the others relate to alleged incidents between 1980 and 1983. The 54-year-old Seventies star, who lives in London, has also been charged with another sexual assault on a girl. He has been bailed to appear before North Avon magistrates court on 18 May.

The singer already faces 50 charges relating to indecent images of children allegedly found stored on a computer he took for repair. Glitter was arrested last November after staff at PC World in Bristol allegedly discovered the pornographic images.

Glitter, was released on bail while police inquiries were made. He was interviewed again in March after returning from a three-month holiday in Cuba, when officers charged him under the Child Protection Act 1978 with 50 counts of making indecent pseudo-photographs of children under the age of 16.

He was also charged with 50 alternative counts of possessing indecent photographs of children, and released on bail to appear at North Avon magistrates court on 18 May.

Mr Glitter's lawyer, Henri Brandman said his client, who had attended a police station yesterday to face the charges, "vigorously protests his innocence".

"In view of the nature of the charges, the law does not permit us to make any further comment."