A third police officer is being investigated into the police handling of complaints made against former Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins.
Watkins was found guilty in December 2013 of a string of child sex offences including rape of a baby and sexual assault of a child under 13.However, reports show that earlier accusations against Ian Watkins were made before police began their investigation.
The officer from South Wales is the third police officer to be investigated into the handling of the Watkins case and the way the police force handled accusations of sexual abuse.
Police Inquiry
The police are to launch an inquiry into the handling procedures of the police following an alleged visit by a member of the public to Pontypridd police station four years ago to give details about the former singer.
The visit to the police station was allegedly not followed correctly with police watchdogs, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) set to investigate further the claims. According to numerous media sources, two officers from the police force are already under investigation.
Three other members of the South Yorkshire police are also understood to be under investigation by the way complaints were dealt with. Speaking on the current investigation the IPCC said: "One officer has been served with a misconduct notice by the IPCC to advise that their conduct is being investigated.
"The news regarding the inquiry comes following a protest over Watkins being moved from a category A prison to a softer Category B jail holding only sexual offenders."
Jon Bird, operations manager at The National Association for People Abused in Childhood, and child safety expert, said it was "disturbing that there are serious sex offenders who can mix with their own kind.
"We haven't seen anything to say he is, and he has been appealing against his sentencing. He needs to recognise that what he did was wrong,"
He also stated that he there was a "real concern" about the rock singer being exposed to other criminals of a similar nature and discourse.
Failure of Police Action Regarding Reports
The inquiry into Watkins is not the first time that police have failed to properly deal with accusations of historic sexual abuse. A recent report stated that police had failed to act on Jimmy Saville accusations during the paedophiles lifetime, with other claims against celebrities or minor celebrities failing to be properly investigated.
Operation Yewtree and other police investigations have drastically changed the nature of historical sexual abuse cases, with police forces having over 1,400 names and suspects of potential sex offenders.
Due to the high profile cases such as Jimmy Saville, Rolf Harris and Gary Glitter have led to a number of victims coming forward and reporting historical sexual abuse to police.
Contact Us
If you have reported a case of historical sexual abuse to police and not had a proper response, or if you have been concerned or threatened by others as a result, our team of expert lawyers can help. We can offer the support and confidential advice to get you the compensation you deserve. At Beltrami, we are on your side and will work tirelessly to get you the compensation you deserve. Get in touch today using our online contact form.
