My mention of under-age engagements in 70s West country
was simply meant to emphasise the point
that in a cultural & social climate
where some parents so readily consented to a 14 year old daughter
becoming engaged to an older man with good 'prospects';

- tacitly agreeing to what might go on in the back of his car
[or even downstairs on the sofa, or in her bedroom]

"well it's sort of ok, as long as they're careful, they will be getting married..." -

while family and neighbours are accepting it as nothing really out of the ordinary.

Then it's so much easier for devious predators like Saville and Glitter
to take advantage of vulnerable young 'willing' teen victims
if all around are habitually turning a blind eye to their rich celebrity lifestyle 'peccadilloes'..


Btw, I will hazard a guess that Glitter probably avoided too much negative attention in Wedmore
by refraining from targeting girls from nearby middle class village families,
when he could so easily trawl the seaside resorts
and 'less salubrious' lower status communities only a few miles drive away....???

But that's just pure speculation based on nothing but vague memories of local hearsay back in the early 80's...

Though I do recall hearing about girls, one local 15 year old who I knew by name,
boasting about being taken out glamorous partying with Gary Glitter.

But that was some years before news media revealed the full extent of his sordid crimes.

Social attitudes are more black and white nowadays,
which regarding the safety of minors
can surely only be for the better.