The Democratic party ventured where the NFL feared to tred this week, when Gary Glitter's 1972 hit Rock and Roll Part 2 was played at the party's convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, the event at which Barack Obama was confirmed as the party's presidential candidate for November's elections.

The track was played as former employees of companies controlled by Bain Capital took to the stage on Wednesday to tell delegates about the behaviour of Bain, an asset management company cofounded by the Republican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney. The use of the song – a favourite at US sports events over many years – was reportedly forbidden at this year's Superbowl after NFL bosses deemed it unacceptable to pay royalties to a convicted child sex offender. Glitter is likely to receive royalties for the Democrats' use of the song.

The US music magazine Spin asked for comment from the Democratic convention organisers, but received none.

In 1999, Glitter – whose real name is Paul Gadd – was sentended to four months in prison and placed on the UK sex offenders' register after being convicted of possessing child pornography. In 2006 he was convicted in Vietnam of sexual offences against two girls, aged 10 and 11, serving just over two years in prison. On his release he was deported, arriving in the UK in August 2008. The ban on the 68-year-old travelling abroad was lifted last year.