London  - Disgraced British glam-rock star Gary Glitter was en route to Britain late Thursday after immigration authorities across Asia kept the convicted paedophile from entering their countries, the British foreign ministry said.

Glitter, who earlier this week completed a two years and nine months prison term in Vietnam for molesting two preteen girls, had been barred from entering Thailand and Hong Kong after at first refusing to return to the Britain.

He was to land in London early Friday and was to face strong regulations in his home country as a convicted sexual offender.

The unwanted former rock star has been living in airport transit lounges since departing Vietnam Tuesday and refusing to board a plane for London Wednesday morning.

He posed a legal problem for immigration authorities who are not empowered to deport him.

Glitter, 64, whose real name is Paul Gadd, was arrested at the Ho Chi Minh City airport in November 2005 as he tried to catch a flight to Bangkok after being accused of sexually assaulting two girls, aged 11 and 12, in Vietnam.

He received a three-year sentence, which was reduced by three months during a Vietnamese New Year amnesty.

During his time in prison, Glitter was diagnosed with a heart problem, and he was expected to seek medical treatment in Britain, where he was expected to be met by police to be entered into the national registry of sex offenders.

Glitter's first arrest on charges related to child sex laws was in Britain in 1997 when thousands of images of child pornography were found on his computer after he took it to be repaired.

He was sentenced to four months in prison and served two before resettling in South-East Asia.

The British press tracked him down in Cambodia and Vietnam and wrote articles accusing him of abusing local children, which led to his arrest and conviction.

Glitter became famous for his flamboyant costumes and behaviour during the glam-rock period and was known for hits like I'm the Leader of the Gang, Do You Wanna Touch Me, Hello! Hello! I'm Back Again, and I Love You Love Me Love. (dpa)