Peaches Geldof drops massive clanger in Ian Watkins case
THE whole story around the Ian Watkins trial has been ghoulish and difficult to read about. Aside from the obvious victims involved, you have to feel for fans of The Lostprophets, Watkins’ band mates and those who worked with them, unknowing of what went on. The whole tale is beyond grim at every level.
People’s response to the whole thing isn’t helping either, determined to find out every grisly detail, just to stoke their own horror at it all, so they can attempt some kind of moral highground online, to people who already agree with them.
With that, Peaches Geldof has been the opposite of useful by naming mums who allowed Ian Watkins to abuse babies and now she faces a police probe.
The law states, pitchforks at the ready or not, that sex offence victims have automatic lifetime anonymity and publishing any details will see the long arm of the law coming for you.
Geldof posted the names of two women purported to be the ones who allowed their babies to be abused, online, after she apparently found them somewhere on the internet. She has since removed the information, but of course, people are quick to screengrab.
A spokeswoman for the Attorney General’s Office said: “We understand that the names of the co-defendants in the Ian Watkins case were posted online but have now been removed. As has been previously reported, the co-defendants were the mothers of the victims.”
“Victims of sexual offences have automatic lifetime anonymity and the publication of names or information which can lead to their being identified is a criminal offence.”
“This is a police matter.”
All the while, Steps singer Ian H Watkins has been on the receiving end of kneejerk abuse, not helped by E! Online publishing his photo next to an article about The Lostprophets singer. He is reportedly “deeply upset” and has been harangued for having a similar name. And we all thought the ‘Peter Phile’ sketch in The Brass Eye Special was too daft to be true.
E! Online went on to apologise and corrected the article, but the Steps singer has already passed the matter on to his legal representatives.
A statement from his agent said: “Ian is deeply upset at being linked by E! online to these awful allegations. This is an extremely serious and damaging mistake to have made and this matter been referred to our lawyers.”
As gut-wrenching as this story is, perhaps it might be worth biting your tongue and letting the justice system deal with it, eh?
Posted: 2nd, February 2014 | In: Celebrities Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
