Gary Glitter’s £15k knee op on the NHS – while Britons wait months for same surgery | UK | News

Shamed pop star Gary Glitter reportedly had a £15,000 knee operation at an NHS hospital — despite many patients having to wait months for the surgery.

The convicted paedophile – who was booked in under his real name Paul Gadd – is said to have been given his own side room and a 24-hour guard by prison officers during his five night stay.

According to a Sunday newspaper staff were told not to mention his crimes, but to remove their name badges and not reveal any private information.

But there are claims Glitter, 78, basked in the attention, was ‘over friendly’ and appalled staff with stories about his vile lifestyle in Thailand and Cambodia

He even ‘took a shine’ to one female nurse – making her feel ill.

The knee op is alleged to have taken place at Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester last November- while Glitter was an inmate at the nearby prison, HMP the Verne.

One patient to slam the move was retired insurance consultant Rob Martinez who had to wait months for his surgery.

Arthritis sufferer Rob, 66, from Sandhurst, Berks, was referred for a double knee op in October 2016 but waited a year for an op on his right knee, then another six months for his left.

He said Glitter’s treatment seemed ‘totally unfair’, adding: “How the heck did he wangle that? It’s terrible he was allowed to slip the net and go straight in.”

Former Met Police detective Mike Hames — who set up the force’s paedophile unit — said: “It is disturbing that while people often wait for a year or 18 months for these operations, and thousands are on waiting lists, that Glitter has had a knee op.”

Conservative MP Chris Loder, whose West Dorset constituency includes the hospital, said: “Preferably, Glitter would not be anywhere in West Dorset, let alone a local hospital.

“He definitely should not be receiving routine surgery before local residents who have been waiting a long time for treatment.”

Serial abuser Glitter was first jailed in 1999 after being caught with 4,000 child abuse images.

In 2015 he was convicted and jailed for historic sex attacks on two girls aged 12 and 13.

He was released last month half way through his 16 year- sentence but recalled to prison this week for breaching the terms of his licence.

Dorset County Hospital said it was the NHS hospital healthcare provider for the local prisons and his care was handled ‘according to our usual procedures for prisoners requiring treatment.’

The Ministry of Justice said it did not comment on individual cases.