Fact Check: Is Gary Glitter Living in the Hylton Road Bail Hostel?

This week convicted paedophile former pop-star Gary Glitter was released from prison, after having served half of a 16 year sentence. Arrested as part of “Operation Yewtree” commencing in 2012 following the Jimmy Saville revelations, Glitter was convicted of abusing three schoolgirls.

After leaving prison, Glitter was released on license and transferred to a Bail Hostel, or “Halfway House”. Yesterday, reports emerged that the Hostel he is based at was attacked by an angry mob who were disgruntled at the sex offender being placed in a residential area. One man attempted to force an entrance to the property.

However, just hours after that incident, rumours emerged across Sunderland that this was all taking place on Wearside itself, with people claiming that Glitter had been transferred to the bail hostel on Hylton Road, near Ford Estate. This particular hostel has been the subject of longstanding disdain for Ford Estate residents, who argue it makes the area unsafe.

Despite this, rumours of Glitter’s presence are completely false. In reality, it has already been reported in the press that Glitter is based in Hampshire, having been released from a Category C Prison in Dorset. Thankfully, a long way from Sunderland!

However, this is not the first time rumours like this have spread throughout in Sunderland. In 2004, similar rumours claimed notorious partner to child murderer Ian Huntley, Maxine Carr, had been rehoused in Gilley Law Flats. Again, this was false. What tends to happen is that a false rumour is created based on a misleading sighting (fuelled by confirmation bias) which leads to a mass hysteria, and before you know it the rumour is everywhere.