Gary Glitter, the glam rock star convicted of child sex abuse, has been banned by the courts from travelling to France and Spain.

Magistrates imposed the six month ban on Glitter after he informed the authorities monitoring him that he wanted to travel to Spain via France.

Police in Kent were granted the foreign travel ban last Thursday after giving magistrates evidence of Glitter’s previous convictions for child sex abuse.

Glitter, real name, Paul Gadd, did not attend the hearing at Ashford Magistrates court in Kent but he was represented by solicitors Corker Binning.

A Court Service spokesman said:“On Thursday September 25 at Ashford Magistrates’ Court, Kent Police applied for an application to prevent foreign travel to France and Spain until March 25 by Mr Paul Gadd.

“Paul Gadd did not attend in person.”

Glitter, 64, had informed the authorities that he wished to travel abroad as he is required to under the sex offenders register. He must give the authorities notice if he wishes to travel abroad for more than three days.

He is also required to give police seven days notice of his planned departure date. Failure to notify the authorities could lead to a five year prison sentence.

Kent Police said they would not discuss individual cases or the possible whereabouts of Glitter in the county.

A Kent Police spokeswoman said: “Kent Police will do everything necessary to protect children in this country, or abroad.

“From our point of view, it is easier to monitor someone who remains in the UK because we have comprehensive systems in place to manage any potential risks more effectively.

“Protecting the residents of Kent is the paramount concern of Kent Police and we work closely to monitor the behaviour of registered sex offenders in the county to minimise any risk to the public that may exist.”

Glitter returned to the UK last month after spending 27 months in a Vietnamese jail for the abuse of two girls, aged 10 and 11.

When he was freed Glitter flew to Bangkok where he was due to board a flight to London. But he said he felt ill and refused to fly to London.

The Thai authorities would not allow him through passport control and he eventually flew to Hong Kong. Chinese authorities also refused him entry and he flew back to Bangkok where Thai police and immigration officials insisted he return to Britain.

He eventually arrived at Heathrow’s Terminal 3 on August 22 and stayed there while his solicitor David Corker went to Uxbridge Magistrates Court, west London, as Scotland Yard successfully applied for an order requiring him to register as a sex offender.

Glitter had previously been jailed in the UK for four months in 1999 for possessing images of child abuse.

A Home Office source said that Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary was reassured and glad that Glitter has been stopped from travelling to France and Spain.

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