Vietnam Cuts Gary Glitter's Sentence

British pop singer Gary Glitter, imprisoned in Hanoi, Vietnam for sexually molesting two young girls aged 10 and 11, had his three-year sentence reduced by three months Wednesday.

Glitter, 62, had been convicted of commiting obscene acts with children in March 2006 during a one-day trial. If convicted of child rape he could have been shot by firing squad.

The time served is being counted from the date of his arrest in November 2005 and the decision by a panel of judges means he will be released in August 2008.

Every year at major national holidays, the Vietnamese president grants amnesties or reductions of sentences for prisoners. In 10 days' time, Vietnam will ring in the Lunar New Year, or Tet, the Southeast Asian country's most important celebration.

"My client has been granted an amnesty of three months reduction from this prison term," lawyer Le Thanh Kinh said by telephone from Ho Chi Minh City. "If there is no more amnesty he will be released by August 2008.

"However, he will have four more chances during national holidays to get his sentence reduced between now and August 2008," Kinh said. (AP)

Glitter denied he molested the girls while living in a villa in the southern resort town of Vung Tau. He was arrested at Ho Chi Minh City airport in November 2005 while trying to leave the country.

Glitter's real name is Paul Francis Gadd. He rose to fame in the 1970s with a bouffant hairstyle, make-up, high heels and "glam rock" stage performances.

His hits included "Rock and Roll (Parts 1 & 2)" and "I Love You Love Me Love", "Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)" and "I'm the Leader of Gang (I am)".

(AP, Reuters, BBC)