According to ThePRP, After the arrest and conviction of ex-Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins on thirteen child sex related charges back in December of 2013, the Independent Police Complaints Commission started an investigation into the South Wales Police alleged failure to act on the various tips they received about Watkins behavior.
Ian Watkins rose to fame in in 2000 as the lead vocalist of the rock band Lostprophets. The band broke up after Watkins was convicted of child sex charges in 2013.
That investigation says that the police failed to treat previously filed tips regarding Watkins properly. According to The BBC, the report that the Independent Police Complaints Commission found that police did not act on reports from his ex-girlfriend Joanne Mjadzelics and other witnesses regarding Watkins‘ behavior between 2008 and 2012.
Joanne Mjadzelics told investigators in 2009 that she had a text message from Ian Watkins about his desire to sexually abuse young children. Police say they considered her report “malicious” and that they didn’t examine the phone.
South Wales Police Assistant Chief Constable Jeremy Vaughan had this to say about the commission’s findings:
“Today’s report highlights a number of failings in which information about Watkins was investigated between 2008 and 2012 which the force entirely accepts and regrets. South Wales Police failed to listen and properly investigate information about Watkins’ offending behavior, for this we are truly sorry.”
Ian Watkins is currently serving a 35 year prison sentence.