Singer Gary Glitter convicted of sex crimes

LONDON (AP) - A jury in Britain on Thursday found former glam rock singer Gary Glitter guilty of a string of sex abuse offenses against three young girls in the 1970s.

The 70-year-old Glitter, whose real name is Paul Gadd, was found guilty of one count of attempted rape, four counts of indecent assault, and one count of sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of 13.

"Paul Gadd abused his access to young fans in order to give himself the opportunities to assault and abuse his victims," Chief Crown Prosecutor Baljit Ubhey said. "Crimes such as these have repercussions for victims that can last for a lifetime."

Glitter was convicted by a jury of five men and seven women at a London court after a two-week trial. He blew kisses to a public gallery full of reporters as he was remanded in custody. He will be sentenced on Feb. 27.

The singer was arrested in October 2012, the first in a series of arrests under Operation Yewtree, the national investigation police launched in the wake of a child abuse scandal surrounding late BBC entertainer Jimmy Savile.

Glitter's career peaked in the early 1970s. He is best known for "Rock & Roll (Part 2)," a hit in both the United States and Britain. He fell into disgrace after being convicted and imprisoned on child abuse charges in Vietnam.

The maximum sentence in Britain for unlawful sex with a minor is life imprisonment.