ONCE the frontman of one of the world’s biggest rock bands, paedophile Ian Watkins stood in the dock as he admitted to a chain of horrific child sex abuse offences, including the attempted rape of a baby.
The sickening case, which I covered at the time, sent shockwaves across the country over a decade ago, but his death at the notorious ‘Monster Mansion’ prison has been an uncomfortable reminder of his disturbing depravity.
AlamyLostprophets paedo Ian Watkins died after being stabbed in the neck in a prison dubbed ‘Monster Mansion’[/caption]
Watkins visibly trembled in the dock as his sentence was read outPA:Press Association
He was led into the glass-fronted box wearing a three-piece blue suit – the smart outfit the only vestige of his prior life as a successful rockstar who sold over three million records.
The Welsh frontman was to be jailed for 29 years – one of the longest ever sentences for a paedophile.
But no one was to know then that his fate would be to die a violent and painful death in hellhole Wakefield prison 12 years later, a fitting end, many would say, for his vile crimes.
Watkins’ admission of guilt at the opening of his trial at least spared the jury and public the full horror of his offences.
But as a journalist covering the case, I was forced to read through the evidence submitted by the prosecution – and the repulsive details of his crimes still haunt me to this day.
The judge summed it up when he said Watkins and his two female co-defendants, whom he manipulated into the heinous acts, had “plumbed new depths of depravity”.
And he was described by the investigating detective as having no remorse, making “him the most dangerous sex offender I’ve ever seen”
Watkins’ abuse of one tot at the posh K-West hotel in Shepherd’s Bush in April 2012 had come just hours after appearing on Radio 1 to talk about his band’s latest album Weapons.
At that time, the world had no idea that this charismatic rocker – who once dated DJ Fearne Cotton – was a depraved monster.
But journalists had been warned that the material in the case would be truly shocking.
Whilst I’ve had to sift through evidence in some grim murder trials, nothing prepares you for the gut-twisting details in a case like Watkins.
I remember reading about the sordid acts through gaps in my fingers, like watching a horror movie. The details are too sickening to be printed in a newspaper.
As judge, the honourable Mr Justice Royce said at the time: “Any decent person looking at and listening to the material here will experience shock; revulsion; anger and incredulity.”
He went on: “You Watkins, achieved fame and success as the lead singer of the Lostprophets.
“You had many fawning fans. That gave you power.
“You knew you could use that power to induce young female fans to help satisfy your apparently insatiable lust and to take part in the sexual abuse of their young children.
“Away from the highlights of your public performances lay a dark and sinister side.”
Incredibly the star joked with a female fan just 24 hours after his confession, calling his offences ‘mega lolz’ — slang for ‘laughing out loud’
Watkins’ appearance at Cardiff Crown Court for his trial in November 2013 was brief.
A huge scrum of reporters, cameramen, and even fans had gathered outside the imposing building in the city centre.
There was surprise and relief when he changed his plea to guilty after the jury had been sworn in.
It meant we would not have to sit through weeks of harrowing video and photo evidence.
He confessed to 13 vile offences – including trying to rape a fan’s 11-month-old son and conspiring to rape another’s daughter.
In one attack, he was filmed trying to rape a baby twice.
SICKENING EVIDENCE
Cops had to wade through a massive 27 terabytes of data on Watkins’ computer hard drives. Among 90 abuse images, 24 were level five, the most serious category.
Officers were even forced to turn to the government intelligence network GCHQ to crack complex encryption codes in a bid to unearth the sickening evidence to lock him away for good.
The case against him would have involved countless witness statements from police and experts, which would have tested the limits of the jury’s mental strength.
The remorseless star joked with a female fan just 24 hours after his confession, calling his offences “mega lolz” — slang for “laughing out loud”
He even claimed that he was faced with a choice before pleading guilty, “…I go up there and say, ‘come on, it wasn’t that bad. Nobody got hurt’” or “I was off my head and do not remember a thing”
GettyThe details of Ian Watkins’ crimes were too sickening to be printed in a newspaper[/caption]
PA:Press AssociationWatkins’ abuse of one tot at the posh K-West hotel in Shepherd’s Bush in April 2012 had come just hours after appearing on Radio 1[/caption]
He made the comment in one of two phone calls from jail, which were recorded by prison bosses.
Cops also believe there may have been other victims because of his extensive travel in Europe and the USA.
The repulsive details of his crimes still haunt me to this day.
But to this day, police don’t know the full details of his offending, and many sordid secrets will have been taken to his grave as one of the UK’s worst paedophiles.
A month after his confession, he was returned to Cardiff Crown Court to be sentenced.
His “arrogance” had deserted him as he was told to stand, and he trembled as his sentence was read out – revealing his true cowardly self in the dock.
The judge awarded him a 10 per cent discount on his sentence for his “late plea”. But he still went on to hand him a 35-year sentence, 29 years in prison with a further six years on licence.
Watkins had served 12 years of his jail term and was due for parole in 2032 at the time of his death.
What makes my skin crawl is that, having known the wicked acts he carried out, he could have been a free man at the age of 55.
Allowed to spend the rest of his days shunned and reviled and on the sex offenders register for life.
But he has now paid the ultimate price for his crimes – and I hope he rots in hell.
EPAWatkins performing in 2008[/caption]
The star joked with a female fan just 24 hours after his confession, calling his offences ‘mega lolz’ just like the slogan on his t-shirtGetty Images – Getty
Dan CharityThe Sun’s Alex West, who covered Ian Watkins’ trial, says nothing could prepare you for the gut-twisting details in a case like Watkins[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
