Ian Watkins, former Lostprophets frontman and convicted paedophile, denies having a mobile phone in prison. The former Lostprophets singer has appeared in court having been accused of being in possession of a mobile phone, while behind bars, at the maximum security prison, HMP Wakefield.
The 41-year-old, Welsh singer, is currently serving 35 years, for a string of depraved child sex offences – including the attempted rape of a baby. The news comes as he appeared in Leeds Crown Court, this morning (March 14) to face the charge against him, and if found guilty of the unauthorised possession of a mobile phone he could face additional prison time.
Watkins has denied being in possession of a mobile phone in his cell, at HMP Wakefield, between the dates of March 4th and 10th, last year. Appearing in court via video link, Watkins pleaded not guilty to one count of the unauthorised possession of a mobile phone. During the hearing at Leeds Crown Court, Watkins spoke only to confirm his name and enter a plea of not guilty.
Prosecutor Stephen Wood, said: “The issue here is that he was in possession of a mobile phone in his cell. I’m not going into specific details about what was found on that phone. The jury will have to know about his previous convictions.” His trial, which is expected to last five days, has been scheduled for the 5th of August 2019.
This latest charge comes after he pleaded guilty, at Cardiff Crown Court, in 2013, to 13 child sex offences, which included the sexual assault of a child under 13 – (which involved an 11-month old baby boy); conspiring to rape an infant girl, attempted rape of a child under 13; taking, making, or possessing images of children; possessing an extreme pornographic image involving a sex act on an animal.
Watkins was sentenced to 29 years in prison with an additional six years on extended licence. The shamed rock star will be eligible for parole after serving two thirds of his sentence. He was sentenced alongside two mothers, of his victims, who willing assisted Watkins, both pleaded guilty to child abuse charges.
The two mothers, aged 21 and 24, who were not named in court to protect the identity of their children — were charged alongside Watkins. His two co-defendants, the mothers of his victims, known only as ‘Women A’ and ‘Women B’ and aged 21 and 24, received sentences of 14 and 17 years in prison respectively.
Watkins’ conviction was not the end of his offences, in 2017, a child was taken into care after Watkins was found to be grooming a mother while in prison. The mother in question had been a fan since she was 16, and visited Watkins in prison after receiving letters in which he claimed that he loved her. The child was then taken into care after social services were alerted of her contact with the disgraced singer.
Speaking about the incident, an NSPCC spokesman, said: “We’re sickened. It’s utterly bewildering that he could carry on grooming. It shows contempt for children he abused, and raises serious questions about supervision.”
