ZIGGY STARDUST JAILED IN BIRMINGHAM FOR BREACHING COURT ORDER AND ILLEGAL COMPUTER EQUIPMENT

A man known as Ziggy Stardust, who was previously convicted of serious sex offences involving minors, has been sentenced to prison after police uncovered prohibited computer equipment at his residence in Birmingham. The individual, originally named Gary Grainger, was convicted in February 2011 of multiple sexual offences against children, which resulted in a six-year prison sentence. Additionally, he was subjected to a 10-year sexual offences prevention order and was mandated to register as a sex offender for life.

Following his release from incarceration, Grainger chose to adopt the alias Ziggy Stardust, inspired by the legendary musician David Bowie. He formally notified authorities of this name change in September 2014. Despite this, issues arose earlier this year when police received intelligence indicating that he had opened a bank account with the Co-op Bank without informing the authorities, as required by law.

In March, law enforcement officers responded to his address on Wellington Road, located in the Handsworth area of Birmingham. Upon executing a search warrant, they detained him and examined the premises. During the search, officers discovered several electronic devices capable of accessing the internet, which raised concerns given his previous court restrictions. Prosecutor Amrisha Parathalingam confirmed that these devices were seized during the raid.

Defense attorney Balvinder Bhatti argued that there was no evidence linking the seized computers to indecent images or any ongoing offending behavior. He contended that Stardust was simply attempting to make a living through technical work and that there was no indication of reoffending. However, the court was not convinced, emphasizing the gravity of breaching the court order.

Judge Patrick Thomas QC delivered the sentence, condemning the breach but acknowledging Stardust’s early guilty plea. The judge sentenced him to eight months in prison, highlighting the importance of upholding court restrictions designed to protect the public from known offenders. Ziggy Stardust, aged 56, had previously admitted to failing to comply with the sexual offences prevention order, which contributed to the severity of his punishment.