14 DAY TRIAL // Ian Watkins, the singer from the “Lostprophets” band has been sentenced to 35 years in jail for multiple child molestation offenses, including an attempt to rape a baby.
The 36-year-old singer appeared before a judge on Wednesday, December 18, and was sentenced after having pleaded guilty to 13 child molestation offenses back in November. The sentence is divided into two parts: serving 29 years in jail and then remaining under police supervision for an additional 6 years. He will be eligible for parole after serving two thirds of his sentence.
Along with Ian Watkins, two women were also charged in the trial for various child molestation offenses against their own children. They were also convicted and received sentences of 14 and 17 years, respectively.
In the courtroom, the judge told Watkins “You had many fawning fans, that gave you power. You knew you could use that power to induce young female fans to ... help satisfy your insatiable lust and take part in the abuse of their own children. Away from the highlights of your public performances lay a dark and sinister side.”
It doesn't seem that Watkins is feeling very remorseful though, having been quoted as saying the trial was “mega lolz.” He told a female fan in prison that “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. It was like either I go up there and say: ‘Come on it was not that bad. Nobody got hurt,’ [or] try to win them over with my charm.”
The Watkins defense lawyer attempted to play his serious string of molestation as something caused by his fame which led the singer to “unravel” helped by drugs and the pressure of fame.
In November, Watkins pleaded guilty to charges that included the molestation of a child under 13 years old, 3 other charges of attempted assault on children and 6 charges of taking and possessing indecent images of children, as well as other equally disturbing images.