Pedophile and former Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins has lodged an application to appeal the length of his jail sentence for child sex offences. Watkins is serving a total of 35 years in prison, after pleading guilty to a string of child sex crimes, including the attempted rape of a baby.
The BBC reports the Court of Appeal confirmed Watkins and his lawyers submitted the application two days ago. The 36-year-old was sentenced last month along with two women who are the mothers of the children he abused.
Watkins pleaded guilty to counts of conspiring to rape a child, three counts of sexual assault involving children, seven involving indecent images of children and one of possessing an extreme pornographic image involving a sex act on an animal.
He pleaded not guilty to the rape charge. He was sentenced to 29 years for the charges and was served an extended licence of six years. The women, known only as A and B, were jailed for 14 and 17 years respectively.
Before handing down the sentence, the judge, Mr Justice Royce, told Watkins and the two mothers in the case, “What you three did plumbs new depths of depravity,” adding, “Any decent person looking at or listening to material here would experience shock, revulsion, anger and incredulity.”
The judge said Watkins had a “corrupting influence” and had shown a “complete lack of remorse”. He also said Watkins posed a significant risk to the public. “You are a sexual predator. You are dangerous. The public, and in particular young females and children, need protection from you.”
It was reported by Wales Online, that days after his guilty plea Watkins claimed he would release a statement saying his conduct “was mega lols, I don’t know what everyone is getting so freaked out about.”
The sentence stipulated that Watkins would have to serve at least two thirds before he can be considered for release. South Wales Police are currently investigating whether Watkins also committed offences in Germany and America.
