Police say they cannot comment on whether or not paedophile Gary Glitter is living in the borough after it was revealed Ashford magistrates last week imposed a ban on his bid to travel abroad.

Late last Thursday, magistrates sanctioned the travel ban on the former pop star, whose real name is Paul Gadd, preventing him from leaving the country and travelling to Spain via France.

The 64-year-old, who returned to the UK in August after serving a jail sentence in Vietnam for child sex offences, did not appear at the hearing.

Under the terms of being on the Sex Offenders Register, Gadd is not permitted to travel without applying to the police a week in advance.

In a statement Kent Police said: “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.

“However, we will not discuss whether or not a named person is on the Sex Offenders Register in Kent, or the circumstances of individual cases.”

A spokesman for Ashford magistrates added: “On September 25 at Ashford Magistrates’ Court, Kent Police applied for and were successful in an application to prevent foreign travel to France and Spain until March 25, 2009, by Mr Paul Gadd.

“Paul Gadd did not attend in person.”

It is unclear whether the travel application was made at Ashford magistrates because Paul Gadd is living in the area or because he planned to travel from Ashford International station.