Hitz Radio - News - Glitter 'fakes illness' to miss UK flight

Convicted child abuser Gary Glitter is stuck in Thailand after reportedly faking an illness to avoid boarding a flight to the UK.

The shamed glam rocker was expected to fly back to Britain following his release from a Vietnamese prison but refused to board a flight from Bangkok to London.

He was apparently fearful of the hostile media and public reception he is certain to receive in Britain, where he has already served jail time for child pornography offences.

Thai officials refused to let him through passport control and into the country and Glitter demanded to be allowed to fly to Singapore.

The 64-year-old, real name Paul Gadd, argued with immigration officers, insisting he was a "free man", while British embassy officials tried to convince him to board the flight home.

Major General Pongdej Chaiprawaj, head of Bangkok airport immigration police, said Glitter had faked an ear condition to avoid boarding.

"He claimed to have tinnitus in his ears and declined to board the flight to London," Mr Pongdej said.

Calling Glitter an "undesirable", he added: "He is banned from entering because he was jailed and he could pose a threat to domestic morality."

The Foreign Office said Glitter remains in transit and he is reportedly holed up in a VIP area where travellers can rent small bedrooms at Bangkok airport.

He has been told he will not be allowed out of Bangkok airport unless it is on an international flight.

Earlier, a Foreign Office spokesman said: "The last information we have is that shortly before the flight to the UK departed he declined to board. "We were last aware that he remained in transit.

"He decides where he applies to go and the country or authorities there will decide whether they permit him to enter their territory."

Glitter had arrived in Bangkok after a 90-minute flight from Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, after serving two years and nine months of a three-year sentence for abusing two girls aged 10 and 11.

He was due to arrive at Heathrow on Wednesday morning, where he would have been met by police and ordered to sign the sex offenders' register.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has said she does not want him to be able to travel abroad again.

And children's charities have criticised his stated intention of returning to the UK to take advantage of the NHS.

He suffered from health problems while in prison and was treated for a heart condition and tinnitus. He has said he wants to return to the UK for treatment.

Source: ITN.co.uk

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