Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins only pleaded guilty to child abuse to avoid a trial and has been "vilified" in the press, his lawyer has told a court.
Watkins is appearing at Cardiff Crown Court where he is due to be sentenced for 13 child sex offences, including the attempted rape of a baby.
The former Lostprophets frontman's lawyer told the court her client was a "kind and gentle man" and said there was no evidence of him "grooming" fans.
She said that coverage of his trial had been "sensationalist" because of who he is.
Watkins was described by a prosecutor as a "determined and committed paedophile" when he pleaded guilty last month.
His lawyer said the 36-year-old was "ashamed and appalled" by what had happened and that the realisation of his acts made him "feel sick".
The court heard Watkins spoke with a female fan from prison the day after admitting two counts of attempted baby rape and said he was going to issue a statement when he was sentenced saying it had all been "mega lolz".
Christopher Clee QC, prosecuting, told the judge that Watkins had a conversation from Park Prison with a woman on November 27.
Watkins with his former bandmates Watkins denied being a paedophile and expressed exasperation at the way people had reacted to his guilty pleas.
Using text-speak, he said: "I'm going to put out a statement on the 18th just to say it was mega lolz.
"I do not know what everybody is getting so freaked out about."
Two female co-defendants, aged 21 and 25, have also pleaded guilty and are due to be sentenced. They cannot be named for legal reasons.
The abuse is thought to be so widespread that investigating officers have since launched a nationwide appeal for other potential victims to come forward - and are pursuing new leads after receiving a flurry of calls.
Detective Chief Inspector Peter Doyle, from South Wales Police, told Sky News the force is working with Homeland Security in the US, Interpol and police in Germany to identify if any other children have been abused by Watkins.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission, which is investigating whether the force failed to act quickly enough after tip-offs about Watkins, has said it will now also look into South Yorkshire and Bedfordshire forces.
The IPCC said it is investigating the effectiveness of the three forces' responses to reports of abuse made to them between 2008 and 2012.
It said it was aware of a number of reports made to the South Wales Police from members of the public, Crimestoppers or other police forces before the paedophile's arrest in late 2012.
:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.
Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang
Ian Watkins: 'I Am Not A Paedophile'
Dengan url
http://terjunbebasopan.blogspot.com/2013/12/ian-watkins-i-am-not-paedophile.html
Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya
Ian Watkins: 'I Am Not A Paedophile'
namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link
Ian Watkins: 'I Am Not A Paedophile'
sebagai sumbernya
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar