Ignored warnings from paedophile rock star’s ex-girlfriend ‘left child at risk for months’

POLICE ignored warnings from the exgirlfriend of paedophile Ian Watkins, the former frontman of rock band Lostprophets, which may have left a child at risk of abuse for months, an Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) investigation has found.

Joanne Mjadzelics took a laptop three times to a police station in Doncaster, between March and May 2012, to demonstrate that Watkins had sent her an indecent image of a child, but officers failed to examine it.

The IPCC found their inaction may have left a child at risk for several months. The watchdog concluded that three officers would have a case to answer for gross misconduct but as each has retired after 30 years’ service, no further action can be taken.

One officer will face a misconduct hearing over allegations of an inappropriate remark being made to Ms Mjadzelics. The IPCC had not been due to release its findings until later, but South Yorkshire Police sent a document in error to The Yorkshire Post, which then published details about the inquiry on its website.

Watkins, 40, was jailed for 29 years in 2013 for a string of serious sex offences including the attempted rape of a baby. In March 2012, South Wales Police asked colleagues in South Yorkshire to assist with allegations made by Ms Mjadzelics.

Initially, the Safer Neighbourhood Team was tasked to respond, rather than specialists from the Public Protection Unit (PPU). The IPCC said the constable who conducted an initial meeting did not view any image, and there was no determined effort to ascertain whether Ms Mjadzelics had evidence of child sexual abuse.

Two months later, a constable from the PPU was told to seize the laptop and to take a statement from the rocker’s ex-girlfriend but this did not happen.

When police did view the alleged indecent image of a child, officers believed it was a close-up of an adult.