Gary Glitter

[flipnflap]

I'm interested to know what people want to happen to Gary Glitter. I am definitely not condoning what he has done. Although I heard an expert say on TV this morning that, compared to most sex offenders, Glitter's crimes are relatively mild. And it could be argued that Glitter has served his sentence. Glitter's celebrity status means he cannot escape, and I understand that making an example of a famous paedophile might well deter others. But there is a disturbing mob attitude in this nation now, of the kind we Brits have often criticised in less sophisticated countries. It's whipped up by tabloid press coverage. And it cropped up the other night in a documentary about innocent young women who've been condemned in their local community (with bricks through windows, etc) after rumours circulated that they are Maxine Carr in disguise. Today's papers show photos of Glitter laughing, and imply he thinks it's all a hoot. I just see a terrified individual who must be about the loneliest person on the planet right now. Yes, I know, we should imagine how his 'victims' felt when he was up to no good. But will people not be satisfied unless the man kills himself now - or gets stoned to death by a mob? If that happens, I bet a lot of people (including the tabloids) will then turn round and say he should have been handled differently. Personally, I've never understood why castration isn't employed to deal with paedophiles. However, I do believe in being humane, even if Glitter's past behaviour hasn't always fitted that description, and I'm very uncomfortable with what I'm reading, seeing and anticipating with him right now.

[Postdog]

"it could be argued that Glitter has served his sentence. "

Yeah, I remember him when he come out of prison here, saying he was truly sorry, etc. What happened tho - he ended up abusing kids in cuba (because he could do it easier there) and then abusing kids in Vietnam.

This bloke is just a terminal sicko - he can't see what he does is wrong. I tell you, if I had the chance, I'd not only slice his balls off but also anything sensitive to feeling so he couldn't get pleasure from touching another kid.

I hope he does come back here and get treated like the pariah he is. And then tops himself when he can't take any more.

[cassa333]

A couple of points jump out at me.

Basicly his past behaviour has shown what his future conduct will likely be. Not once but TWICE So having 'served his time' and let him roam free isn't realy an option. Just because his crimes aren't as bad as some doesn't mean anything.

Have you ever wondered HOW pictures of abused children get distributed? I'm not meaning thecnically, i mean about what happens to the children involved? 'I only looked at them' then seems very lame when you HAVE to realise that the little girl or boy with some perverts d!(k rammed up them was made FOR THEM. As far as I am concerned if you look at it then you are as guilty as someone who did it.

A lot of perverts are VERY GOOD at pulling the wool over your eyes. They are very good actors and know how to get sympathy. I have NO sympathy for him or anyone other pervert.

[Nosha123]

I'm in the camp that thinks "you made your bed now go lie in it". He wasn't forced to do what he did and frankly he is the one who should have to live with it!
Not my problem! I manage to live and abide by the law and not steal, and not attack people, and not abuse young children.
His sentence in prison is not the end of the deal.. he will hopefully suffer forever for what he has done - possibly the most heinous crime in the world. Whether that be considered 'mild child abuse' or not its still paodophilia!
Cut off his willy without anaesthetic!!! Do it to all of them.. then shove them all on a remote island somewhere. Disgusting

[RevFunk]

Couldn't really give a toss.

If he does end up in the UK he will be closely monitored.

More worrying is the fact that there are people worse than glitter in every town and city in the UK.

[Ethel]

And that's a fact, RevFunk.

Glitter is probably the least worrying of paedophiles in the UK because everyone knows him for what he is.

[funnygirl]

They were saying on GMTV this morning with a guest speaker, that if it had been somebody else, less famous, they would have been let into the country of their choice.

It is the media, that is making it worse for Mr Glitter.

[RevFunk]

Fact:

Of the 30,000 people on the sex offenders register in this country only 5 have orders prohibiting these people from travelling abroad.

Nice to see these countries taking a tough stance against Glitter, the same countries that are world renowned for their child sex industry.

[david1702198]

even if he does get back into britain some vigilante will get him one day

[funnygirl]

But there are worst than him out there!!!!

[Ethel]

What I find moderately interesting is that Glitter is a very famous and wealthy man.

Why has nobody come forward selling their 'Glitter ruined my life' story or reported him to the police for abusing them as a child?

Is his abuse of children a relatively recent thing? Or has he only indulged abroad, where very young children are sold to anybody for very little money by, in some instances, the parents?

[flipnflap]

Ethel, a couple of his victims have done their stories in the tabloids. If others have resisted, it may be due to shame or embarrassment they feel, or because he was able to get away with loads when he was a pop star

[Ethel]

I saw one of his 'victims' stories - she got paid a lot of money to say she was a consenting adult having a fling with her pop hero when she was 18. She says he asked her to pretend she was 14.

Now to my mind, she is not a victim of his. I haven't seen anything else.

[keyplus90]

These sorts of people should be killed using slowest and painful death as soon as possible.

[andy-hughes]

Like you, I am intrigued by the heavyweight vigilantism that crops uop every time this type of query is raised.

I believe that the only way to deal with issues like this is to apply logical and well-thought responses - there is no room for the knee-jerk "Hang him, I'll pull the leaver ..." (and trust me you wouldn't!) brigade, that is simply not helping.

The response has to be for Glitter to be closely monitored where ever he is - and that applies to all convicted paedophiles anywhere in the world.

Sadly, other cultures to do not feel the abhorence that Western society feels as a matter of course for this dreadful crime - so all we can hope for is to police our own country effectively - which is probably the reason why GG does not wish to return here.

Like all paedophiles, he is in denial - I just hope that where ever he is able to live, that the appropriate authorities will watch his activities.

Thinking too long about thi dreadful scenario simply hurts your head - all we can do is to remember that laws are what make us civilised - we must live by, and enforce them properly, and leave the 'revenge mobs' out of it.

[Quinlad]

As other people have said, it's difficult to pity Gary Glitter because he's a repeat offender.

I do think you make a very good point though, flipnflap, about the angry mob mentality that this has stirred up. It's very, very ugly. Primarily because it's all front - people are keen to show how abhorrent they find the crime, so it becomes a competition to show how strongly they feel - which is where violent, threatening mood comes from. The one in which paediatricians get attacked.

And this bravado clouds people's judgements to a terrifying extent - look at Maxine Carr and her actual crime. Yet she's villified as if she's the new Myra Hindley. It's all deeply thick.

[brionon]

flipnflap You heard an expert ? Comparatively mild ? That's OK then. Those little girls making all that fuss when an Expert says it was Comparatively Mild.

[jedimistress]

I can't be bothered to read the responses but the mob mentality sickens me too.

[Nautilus]

I read in todays paper (DT) that 35 policemen are on standby at the airport waiting to arrest him !!
Thirty Five !! what a waste of resources,surely two cops are all that's necessary ?