Ian Watkins, former Lostprophets frontman and convicted paedophile, has been sentenced to an additional ten months, in prison, for being in possession of a mobile phone. The 42-year-old appeared, at Leeds Crown Court, on Friday the 9th of August 2019 to hear his sentence after he was found with the phone, in his possession, while serving time, in HMP Wakefield, West Yorkshire, where he is serving a sentence for sex offences.
The convicted sex offender and former Lostprophets singer is currently serving a 29-year sentence and this week he has been sentenced to a further 10 months, in prison, for possessing a mobile phone, which he denied. This sentence comes on top of the current 29-year sentence, which he is currently serving for a number of child sex offences, including the attempted rape of a baby.
The news comes after it was revealed, in court last week, that Watkins “put mobile phone up his anus to hide it from prison officers.” Watkins denied the charge, with Sky News reporting, that he was forced to hold onto the phone by two inmates, who wanted to use women who were contacting Watkins by mail as a “revenue stream”.
While giving evidence, at Leeds Crown Court, he refused to give up the names of the two men, who allegedly forced him to hold the phone, but he did say they were “murderers and handy”. He continued, “you would not want to mess with them.” The former singer also said that the people he is currently locked up with are “murderers, mass murderers, rapists, paedophiles, serial killers – the worst of the worst.”
Leeds Crown Court heard that nothing was found when Watkins was strip-searched, but it was then revealed that he told a prison officer that he would give up a mobile phone, that he was in possession of, if he would be allowed to see his mother – who was due to visit him in prison later that day. According to Wales Online, Watkins then reached into his underwear and produced a small mobile phone. The court also heard that a subsequent search of Watkins’ cell also uncovered a small phone charger.
Prosecutor Stephen Wood told the court: “Between March 4 and March 10, 2018 the defendant was in possession of a mobile phone while inside HMP Wakefield. On March 10 a prison officer at HMP Wakefield went to the defendant’s cell. The intention was to remove the defendant to a sterile cell so he could be searched.
“The prison had received information the defendant was in possession of a phone. The defendant was searched and nothing was found. During the search the defendant was asked if he had a mobile phone about him and he replied he did not.”
Mr Wood added: “After the search the defendant said his mother was travelling to visit him and he asked if he would still be allowed to see her. When the prison officer went back… he asked if he could still have the visit if he handed over the telephone. The officer asked if he had a phone and he [Watkins] replied that he did. The defendant reached in to his underwear and towards his anus. After about 10 seconds the defendant then produced a small white telephone.”
