YESTERDAY, Jonathan King emerged from prison and declared that he'd had a "fantastic" time behind bars.

He went on to make a series of absurd statements, which show him to be a dangerous fantasist and which underline why he should not have been released early.

He insisted he was innocent of the vile child abuse charges made against him. He boasted of having a "stunning talent", drawing parallels with the likes of Elvis Presley, The Beatles, and Michelangelo. He even claimed to be "extremely handsome".

The world, of course, will see it very differently. He is a dangerous pervert who is in denial of being a paedophile, despite admitting having sex with underage boys. Having a hit with the ghastly Una Paloma Blanca does not make him a great talent, and there are gargoyles which are distinctly more attractive.

If he were serious about clearing his name, and preparing grounds for an appeal, he should have handled his release from prison with more dignity. Instead, he turned his day of freedom into a circus, trying to flog a dodgy CD, and making us all sick with his preposterous, offensive rantings.

Once his fleeting moment back in the spotlight is over, he has the same future as Gary Glitter to look forward to - as a despised, ugly has-been facing a lifetime of looking over his shoulder.

We only wish the rubber-faced and talentless Jonathan King had spent a few more fantastic years in a prison cell.