Former Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins has been sentenced to 35 years for a series of child sex offences including the attempted rape of a baby.
Although he initially denied the charges, Watkins changed his plea to guilty last month. His last-minute change of plea spared the jury from viewing what the Cardiff Crown Court judge called “extremely graphic and distressing” video footage. According to Prosecutor Christopher Clee’s opening remarks, Watkins accepted that he is “a determined and committed” paedophile by virtue of his plea . “He has engaged in serious sexual offences against two babies belonging to the female defendants in this case,” Clee told the court. “Not only has he done so but he recorded and kept episodes of this abuse which were recovered by the police.”
Watkins admitted to the attempted rape and sexual assault of a child under 13 but pleaded not guilty to rape. He also admitted conspiring to rape a child, three counts of sexual assault involving children, seven involving taking, making or possessing indecent images of children and one of possessing an extreme pornographic image involving a sex act on an animal. Watkins’ two co-defendants, who are the mothers of children he abused, also pleaded guilty to child abuse charges and were jailed for 14 and 17 years.
In evidence presented to the court during sentencing, the Cardiff Crown Court heard that after the singer had changed his plea he denied being a paedophile in a phone call made to unidentified friend: “It was megalolz,” Watkins told his friend. “I don’t know what everyone is getting freaked out about.”
In sentencing, Justice Royce said the case broke “new ground” and “plunged into new depths of depravity”. According to Justice Royce, Watkins has shown a “complete lack of remorse”, showed “evident delight” in his crimes, and poses a significant risk to the public in particular to women with young children. “Any decent person … will experience shock, revulsion and incredulity,” he said.
Lostprophets officially split in October via a Facebook statement. “After nearly a year of coming to terms with our heartache, we finally feel ready to announce publicly what we have thought privately for some time,” the band announced. “We can no longer continue making or performing music as Lostprophets. Your love and support over the past 15 years has been tremendous, and we’ll be forever grateful for all you’ve given us. As we look forward to the next phase of our lives, we can only hope to be surrounded by people as devoted and inspiring as you guys have been.”
The band had sold around 3.5 million albums worldwide and toured Australia several times playing at the Big Day Out festival in 2004, a headline tour in 2010 and returning in 2012 with the Soundwave festival lineup.
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