Vietnam Detains Former U.K. Rocker Glitter

Immigration police officer Nguyen Van Phuc said that Glitter was stopped by officers checking his passport as he was preparing to board a flight to Bangkok from Ho Chi Minh city on Saturday.

"One of my colleagues recognized him and detained him at the immigration office," Phuc said.

Glitter, 61, was turned over to the custody of Ba Ria-Vung Tau provincial police, who have taken him back to the coastal resort city, he said.

A police officer in Vung Tau confirmed that Glitter, whose real name is Paul Francis Gadd, had been detained for further investigation, but gave no further details.

Police in the coastal resort town of Vung Tau, where Glitter has been living in a rented house since March, have said he was allegedly involved with two girls under the age of 18 but declined to elaborate.

The Youth newspaper reported Saturday that Gadd was being investigated for "obscene acts with a child."

The aging rocker had been seen with two Vietnamese girls whom he later took to his home, the newspaper reported.

Glitter, who rose to fame with a glam rock act in the 1970s, is perhaps best known for "Rock and Roll (Part 2)," which is still frequently played at sporting events.

Earlier this week, the Foreign Ministry said officials confirmed that Glitter, who had applied for permanent resident status in Vietnam, had fled the area last Saturday.

Authorities had interviewed a 15-year-old girl they found in Glitter's home, ministry spokesman Le Dung said.

"If evidence of a (legal) violation is found against Mr. Paul Francis, and especially evidence of sexual child abuse, I believe that very strict legal measures will apply to him," he said.

Under Vietnamese law, the charge of obscene acts with a minor carries a penalty of up to five years in jail.