Ian Watkins (Lostprophets singer)

Ian David Karslake Watkins (born 30 July 1977) is a Welsh convicted sex offender and former singer, songwriter, and musician. He achieved prominence as the co-founder, lead vocalist, and lyricist of the rock band Lostprophets.[1] In 2013, he was sentenced to 29 years' imprisonment for multiple sexual offences, including the sexual assault of young children.[2][3] Lostprophets disbanded shortly thereafter and the remaining members formed the band No Devotion, with American singer Geoff Rickly replacing Watkins.

Ian Watkins
Watkins performing in January 2010
Born (1977-07-30) 30 July 1977
Merthyr Tydfil, Wales
Other namesL'Amour La Morgue
Criminal statusIncarcerated at HM Prison Wakefield since 2018
Criminal charge
  • Attempted rape of a child under 13
  • Sexual assault of a child under 13
  • Taking, making, or possessing indecent images of children
  • Possessing an extreme pornographic image involving a sex act on an animal
Penalty29 years' imprisonment plus 6 years on extended licence
Musical career
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • musician
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • drums
Years active1995–2012
Labels
Associated acts

Early life

Ian David Karslake Watkins was born in Merthyr Tydfil on 30 July 1977.[4] He later moved to Pontypridd, where he attended Hawthorn High School with future Lostprophets bandmate Mike Lewis.[1] He gained a first-class honours degree in graphic design from the University of Wales, Newport.[5]

Career
Watkins performing in 2007

Lewis' and Watkins's mutual enjoyment of rock and metal music strengthened their friendship, leading them to form a group as teenagers in 1991 called Aftermath, a thrash metal band that played in a shed in Watkins's garden.[1] Whilst spending time in the local Ynysangharad Park, where (17 years later) Lostprophets would headline The Full Ponty festival, Watkins was introduced to future bandmate Lee Gaze through a mutual friend. Having abandoned Aftermath, which made two live appearances in its lifespan of two years, Watkins and Gaze decided to form a new band called Fleshbind, based on their American hardcore punk influences. The band played several shows, including one supporting Feeder in London, but the group was short-lived.[1]

Watkins reunited with Mike Lewis as a drummer in a hardcore band called Public Disturbance, formed in 1995. By this time, Watkins and Gaze had left Fleshbind to create their own band, Lost Prophets, who made their live debut in May 1997 alongside Public Disturbance, with Watkins as the lead vocalist. In 1998, Watkins left Public Disturbance to concentrate on the newly named lostprophets (all lower-case letters).

On New Year's Eve 2008, Watkins took part in a concert for Kidney Wales Foundation and stated that his reasons for being involved were as a result of his mother needing a kidney transplant: "Having that direct experience is why I wanted to get more involved with Kidney Wales and organise a fundraising concert on New Year's Eve."[6] The concert featured Welsh bands the Blackout, Kids in Glass Houses, and Attack! Attack!

Watkins was also featured in the Blackout's song "It's High Tide Baby", and also accompanied them on tour.

In 2009, Watkins started a remixing side project called "L'Amour La Morgue". He released 17 remixes by artists such as the Killers, Beyoncé, Young Guns, Magic Wands, Tears for Fears, and Bring Me the Horizon. He also released a free mixtape, which was available online, along with a free download of a song that was premiered at a fashion show in 2008.[7]

Lostprophets recorded five albums: The Fake Sound of Progress, Start Something, Liberation Transmission, The Betrayed, and Weapons. They toured extensively in Europe and America,[8] playing shows such as the Reading and Leeds Festivals in 2004, 2007, 2009, and 2010.[9][10]

Sexual offences

Conviction

On 19 December 2012, Watkins was charged at Cardiff magistrates court with conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a one-year-old girl and possession and/or distribution of indecent images of children and "extreme animal pornography". He was remanded in custody, as were his two female co-accused. His barrister said Watkins would deny the accusations.[11][12][13] On 31 December, he appeared at Cardiff Crown Court via video link from HM Prison Parc in Bridgend, and was remanded in custody until 11 March 2013.[14] The case was adjourned until May, with the trial date set for 15 July.[15] At a hearing on 3 June, he denied the charges via a video link.[16]

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 Wales was denied.[17] 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; six counts of taking, making, or possessing indecent images of children; and one count of possessing an extreme pornographic image involving a sex act on an animal.[3] His victims included a baby boy,[18][19] and he sent a text message to the mother of one victim that said, "If you belong to me, so does your baby."[3] The South Wales Police investigation into Watkins, codenamed "Operation Globe", required the co-operation of GCHQ to decrypt a hidden drive on his laptop, which was found to contain video evidence of his abuses.[18] On 27 November, the day after his guilty plea had been accepted by the prosecution, Watkins referred to his sex offences as "mega lolz" in a recorded phone call to a female fan made from HM Prison Parc.[20]

A sentencing hearing was held at Cardiff on 18 December 2013. In mitigation, Watkins's barrister, Sally O'Neill QC, said that Watkins had no recollection of the case involving the attempted rape, but had "belatedly realised the gravity of what happened" after having developed an "obsession" with videoing himself having sex.[19] Justice John Royce sentenced Watkins to 29 years in prison, with eligibility to apply for parole after serving two thirds of his prison term, followed by six years of supervised release. His two co-defendants, the mothers of his victims, respectively received sentences of 14 and 17 years' imprisonment.[21] The judge said the case "plunged into new depths of depravity".[19] A senior investigating officer on the case described Watkins as a "committed, organised paedophile" and "potentially the most dangerous sex offender" he had ever seen.[22]

Watkins was transferred from HM Prison Parc, where he had been incarcerated while on remand, to HM Prison Wakefield to begin serving his sentence.[23] In order to be closer to his mother after she had a kidney transplant, he was transferred to HM Prison Long Lartin on 25 January 2014.[24] He was subsequently transferred to HM Prison Rye Hill. On 9 October 2017, Watkins was accused of grooming a young mother from prison.[25] As of March 2018, he was back at HMP Wakefield.[26]

Police complaints

An Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) investigation report published in summer 2016 said that three detectives from the South Wales force should face disciplinary action after they failed to act on earlier allegations of abuse by Watkins from 2008 onward.[27][28]

A further IPCC report, published in August 2017, found that police had failed a number of times from 2008 to 2012 to act on reports of Watkins's behaviour, quoting a detective who said that Watkins had "a number of fans and ex-girlfriends making allegations that when investigated are false".[29][30] The report concluded:

The consequence of the force's failings was arguably that a predatory paedophile offended over an extended period of time. The evidence obtained in this investigation suggests that South Wales Police were faced with a litany of reports about his behaviour, yet in some instances did not carry out even rudimentary investigation, made errors and omissions and missed opportunities to bring him to justice earlier than he ultimately was.[18]

South Wales Police Assistant Chief Constable Jeremy Vaughan said his force "entirely accepts and regrets" the findings of the report.[30]

Possession of mobile phone in prison

In March 2018, Watkins was found with a mobile phone.[26][31] He pleaded not guilty to the offence of "possession of a mobile phone in a prison", claiming other inmates were threatening and extorting him, forcing him to hide the phone.[32] After a five-day trial at Leeds Crown Court in August 2019, he was convicted and sentenced to an additional ten months' imprisonment.[26][31][33][34]

Discography
Public Disturbance
Lostprophets
Main article: Lostprophets discography

References
  1. "Ian Watkins". BBC News, Wales. Retrieved 24 August 2007.
  2. "Lostprophets' Ian Watkins sentenced to 35 years over child sex offences". BBC News, Wales. 18 December 2013. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
  3. "Lostprophets' Ian Watkins guilty of child sex offences". BBC News, Wales. 26 November 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
  4. Ian Watkins. BBC (26 November 2013). Retrieved on 2016-01-24.
  5. Bezer, Terry. "Lostprophets' Ian Watkins Talks About Reading, A New Album And 'That Photo'". Metal Hammer. Archived from the original on 24 September 2010. Retrieved 15 April 2011.
  6. Brindley, Madeleine (29 October 2008). "Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins to stage show for Kidney Wales Foundation". WalesOnline.co.uk. Retrieved 21 February 2009.
  7. "Lamourlamorgue.com". Archived from the original on 9 March 2009.
  8. "Lostprophets forge ahead with fall tour". Ultimate guitar. Retrieved 29 August 2007.
  9. "Lostprophets find their way to US audiences". Live Daily. Retrieved 29 August 2007.
  10. "Artist/ Line up: Lostprophets". BBC News. Retrieved 29 August 2007.
  11. "Lostprophets rock star Ian Watkins child sex offence charges". BBC News, Wales. 19 December 2012. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
  12. "Lostprophets singer charged over child sex offences". ITV. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
  13. Hall, John (19 December 2012). "Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins remanded in custody after appearing in court accused of conspiring to rape one-year-old girl". The Independent. London. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
  14. "Lostprophets rock star Ian Watkins in court on sex charges". BBC News, Wales. 31 December 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2012.
  15. "Lostprophets' Ian Watkins child sex case adjourned". BBC News, Wales. 11 March 2013. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  16. "Lostprophets rock star Ian Watkins denies baby rape charges". BBC News, Wales. 3 June 2013. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
  17. "Trial of Lostprophets' Ian Watkins to Start in November". BBC News, Wales. 6 June 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
  18. Steven Morris and agency. "Lostprophets' Ian Watkins admits sex offences including attempted rape of baby". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 November 2013.
  19. "Lostprophets' Ian Watkins sentenced to 35 years over child sex offences". BBC Online. 18 December 2013. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
  20. "Convicted paedophile Ian Watkins told fan: 'It was mega lolz'", The Guardian, 18 December 2013. Retrieved 30 December 2013
  21. Jones, Ciaran (18 December 2013). "Live updates: Ian Watkins to be sentenced over child sex offences". Wales Online. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
  22. "Ian Watkins could be 'most dangerous sex offender I have ever seen' – officer", ''The Guardian'', 18 December 2013. Theguardian.com. Retrieved on 24 January 2016.
  23. "Ian Watkins, Lostprophets Paedophile Rock Singer, Begins Jail Term At HMP Wakefield". Huffington Post. 19 December 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  24. "Ian Watkins moved to same prison as child killer Ian Huntley". 24 January 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  25. "Ian Watkins 'groomed' a two-year-old girl's mother from behind bars". 9 October 2017. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  26. Busby, Mattha (9 August 2019). "Ian Watkins given 10 months for possessing mobile phone in prison". The Guardian.
  27. Morris, Steven (1 July 2016). "Ian Watkins case: three South Wales detectives face misconduct inquiry". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
  28. "Detectives who received complaints about paedophile Lostprophets star Ian Watkins four years before he was caught face misconduct case". The Daily Telegraph. 1 July 2016. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
  29. Morris, Steven (25 August 2017). "Police missed chances to stop paedophile Ian Watkins, says report". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  30. "Ian Watkins child abuse: South Wales Police criticised". BBC News. 25 August 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  31. Darus, Alex (5 August 2019). "Lostprophets ex-singer hid phone in anus in prison, trial reveals". Alternative Press. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
  32. "Lostprophets' Ian Watkins Sentenced to Additional Prison Time for Hiding Cell Phone in His Butt". MetalSucks. 9 August 2019.
  33. Munro, Scott (13 March 2019). "Ex Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins denies having a mobile phone in prison". Metal Hammer. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  34. "Jailed Ian Watkins 'had concealed phone in prison'". 5 August 2019. Retrieved 5 August 2019.

Further reading
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