Police face probe over paedophile rock singer
The 36-year-old singer with Lostprophets is to be sentenced next month after admitting a string of sex offences including attempted rape of a baby.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has now announced it is investigating the handling of a complaint made against Watkins in 2012 to South Yorkshire Police.
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Hide AdThe watchdog, which has already opened an investigation into whether South Wales Police failed to act quickly enough, said the inquiry followed a referral from the force in September.
In a last-minute change of plea on Tuesday ahead of what would have been his trial at Cardiff Crown Court, Watkins admitting sexually touching a one-year-old and encouraging a groupie to abuse her own child during a webcam chat.
The singer, from Pontypridd, south Wales, also admitted possessing and making child porn as well as launching the plot to rape a baby.
A spokeswoman for South Yorkshire Police confirmed the force had referred itself to the IPCC but said: “To ensure the integrity of the IPCC investigation, the Force is unable to add further comment at this stage.”
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Hide AdWatkins’ ex-Lostprophets band-mates have insisted they did not know about the abuse. Speaking for the first time since his plea on Tuesday, they revealed in a statement that they were “heartbroken, angry and disgusted”.