Former glam-rock star Gary Glitter has pleaded not guilty to eight charges of historic child sex abuse in a London court.
The 82-year-old singer, whose real name is Paul Gadd, appeared at Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday by video link from prison. He denied all counts against him during the hearing, which centered on alleged offenses against a single young girl between 1978 and 1981.
Prosecutors allege the abuse occurred when the victim was between eight and 11 years old. The specific charges Gadd faces include four counts of indecent assault, two counts of indecency with a child, and two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl aged under 13.
The alleged offenses took place at Gadd’s home in the Kensington area of London, according to prosecutors who outlined the case in earlier proceedings.
Gadd rose to fame in the 1970s as one of Britain’s most flamboyant glam-rock performers, scoring multiple hit singles under his stage name Gary Glitter. His music and theatrical stage presence made him a household name during the decade, though his later years have been dominated by repeated convictions for child sex offenses.
Wednesday’s not guilty plea sets the stage for a trial that will examine allegations spanning a three-year period more than four decades ago.
Gadd was remanded in custody following the hearing, with his trial scheduled for next year. He will remain in prison until that proceeding begins.
The case represents the latest in a long series of legal proceedings against the disgraced former pop star. Gadd has previously served prison sentences for child sex offenses in Britain and abroad, including a 2015 conviction for attempted rape and indecent assault against underage girls.
His 1970s glam-rock persona, characterized by glittering jumpsuits and platform boots, once made him one of Britain’s most recognizable entertainers. That career collapsed amid revelations of his sexual abuse of children, leading to multiple prosecutions and prison terms over the past two decades.