Sunday, December 1, 2013

South Yorkshire Police investigated over Ian Watkins

BBC News

A watchdog is investigating South Yorkshire Police's handling of complaints about a rock star who has admitted child sex offences.

Ian Watkins, singer of Lostprohpets, is to be sentenced next month for offences including attempted rape of a baby.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is investigating the force's handling of a complaint made against Watkins in 2012.

The IPCC said the inquiry followed a referral from the force in September.

The watchdog has already opened an investigation into whether South Wales Police failed to act quickly enough.

Mothers guilty

The 36-year-old singer from Pontypridd, who was called a "determined and committed paedophile" in court, admitted attempted rape and sexual assault of a child under 13 but not guilty to rape - a plea the prosecution accepted.

He also admitted 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.

One of the two women charged alongside Watkins, known as Woman A, admitted the attempted rape of a baby after denying rape and two charges of sexual assault, as well as taking and distributing an indecent photograph of a child.

Woman B pleaded guilty to conspiring to rape a child, three sexual assault charges and four charges of taking, possessing or distributing indecent images.

South Yorkshire Police were unavailable for comment.

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