Gary Glitter ordered to pay £508,800 damages to woman he sexually abused as a schoolgirl
Notorious paedophile Gary Glitter has been ordered to pay more than £500,000 in damages to a woman he sexually abused as a schoolgirl.
The former glam rock musician – real name Paul Gadd – plied the girl with champagne when she was just 12-years-old after meeting her backstage at a concert.
She was sexually assaulted at a hotel, and then raped at Gadd’s home in London, the High Court heard.
Gadd was convicted in 2015 for abuse of the woman and two other young people, which took place between 1975 and 1980.
The woman says the abuse she suffered left her unable to work for several decades, as she brought a High Court claim for damages.
On Tuesday, Mrs Justice Tipples ruled the woman is entitled to £508,800 in damages.
“There is no doubt that the claimant suffered serious abuse”, said the judge.
“As a result of the defendant’s abuse, the claimant has severe and prolonged psychiatric injury.”
Gadd shunned the High Court hearing in March, and was again not present for the ruling.
The shamed star must also pay £84,666 in interest on the damages, plus the costs of bringing the case to the High Court.
Jonathan Metzer, for the woman, told an earlier hearing that Gadd’s abuse had a “dramatic and terrible impact” on her education, work and personal relationships.
“One can only begin to imagine the profound pain felt by someone who has experienced such shocking abuse… then suffered from feelings of shame and worthlessness”, he said.
Mr Metzer said the woman had been “plagued by thoughts of self-blame” through her adult life.
Gadd was one of the first celebrities to be arrested for historic sex offences as a result of Operation Yewtree, the police investigation triggered by revelations about the depraved past of Jimmy Savile.
In 2015, Gadd was jailed for 16 years for sexually abusing three schoolgirls.
He was set free from prison last February at the halfway stage of his sentence, but was recalled to prison less than six weeks later.
Police monitoring showed he had breached his licence conditions by reportedly trying to access the dark web and viewing downloaded images of children.
Gadd lost a recent bid for parole, and is currently being held at HMP The Verne in Dorset.
Richard Scorer, Head of Abuse Law at Slater & Gordon who represented the claimant, said: “In making this award the court has properly acknowledged the appalling abuse suffered by my client. Whilst no amount of money can make up for horrific sexual abuse, the award at least goes some way to recognising the devastation inflicted on my client throughout her childhood and adult life.
“Gadd’s refusal to engage with the process merely proves his utter lack of remorse, something we will be reminding the parole board about if he makes another application for early release.
“We will be pursuing Gadd for payment and will continue to support our client through this process”.
The judge awarded the victim £100,000 in general damages, £20,000 for injury to feelings, and special damages of £388,800 - made up of £381,000 in loss of earnings and £7,800 for future medical treatment and therapy.
The interest was set at £84,666, while costs will either be agreed or settled at a future court hearing.
