Ian Watkins

Ian David Karslake Watkins (born 30 July 1977) achieved prominence as a Welsh rock musician. He was a founding member and the lead vocalist and lyricist of the alternative rock band Lostprophets.

The group disbanded in 2013 after Watkins was charged with sexual offences in late 2012. In November 2013, Watkins pleaded guilty to thirteen charges including the attempted rape and sexual assault of a child under 13.

Sexual offences
On 19 December 2012, Watkins was charged with conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a one-year old girl, and with possession of and/or distribution of indecent images of children and "extreme animal pornography", charges which were heard at Cardiff magistrates court. He was remanded in custody as were his two female co-accused. His barrister said Watkins would deny the accusations. On 31 December, he appeared at Cardiff Crown Court via video link from Parc Prison, Bridgend, and was remanded in custody until 11 March 2013. The case was adjourned until May, with the trial date set for 15 July. At a hearing on 3 June, he denied the charges via a video link.

On 6 June, it was announced that the trial would start on 25 November and was expected to last a month. A previous application for the court venue to be moved outside of Wales was denied. On 26 November, Watkins pleaded guilty to attempted rape and sexual assault of a child under 13, but not guilty to rape. This was accepted by the prosecution. He further pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual assault involving children and six involving taking, making or possessing indecent images of children and one of possessing an extreme pornographic image involving a sex act on an animal. He will be sentenced on 18 December.

Watkins' victims included a baby and he sent an SMS text message to the mother of one, saying "If you belong to me, so does your baby". South Wales Police's investigation into Watkins, codenamed "Operation Globe", required the cooperation of GCHQ to de-encrypt a hidden drive on his laptop, which was then found to contain video of his abuses.