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Some of you may have heard of the band Lostprophets, they got fairly big around the mid-2000s with the song "Rooftops". In 2012 the vocalist was investigated due to the police being informed that he takes drugs and they took away his laptop. This led to 2013 where he was convicted for having enough child porn that 4 police stations could hold on their harddrives, , video evidence of him attempting to fuck two babies, watching videos of people fucking dogs and all this because of his laptop's password being "Ifuckkids". After his trial he was sentenced to 29 years in prison. (archive). Keep in mind, he only accepted that he was guilty of the lesser crimes so he could have somehow potentially done something much worse than any of the fucked up shit he was convicted with (if that's even possible).
Ian's former band mates formed a new band half a year after he was convicted.. There hasn't been much news on the former Lostprophet's vocalist until recently where police found a phone up his bum in prison. Right now there is a trial being held over this phone and it is expected to last for 5 days.
Day 1 of 5 - 08/05/2019
Report from the Daily Star (archive).
If you want to get into the nitty gritty of the trial, The Examiner (archive) has a detailed "what the fuck happened" article which explains what happened in today's trial every 10 minutes or so. This includes Ian admitting to having the phone up his bum and a interview with one of his former groupies. (Read from the bottom of this quote to the top of the quote).
Episode 2 of this 5 part miniseries of "the return of Ian Watkins" returns tomorrow.
For those interested, there is a detailed report from the original Ian Watkins case back in 2013. Warning - this is some sick shit. (Holy shit, you can archive PDF files on the web).
Day 2
Ian's former band mates formed a new band half a year after he was convicted.. There hasn't been much news on the former Lostprophet's vocalist until recently where police found a phone up his bum in prison. Right now there is a trial being held over this phone and it is expected to last for 5 days.
Day 1 of 5 - 08/05/2019
Report from the Daily Star (archive).
Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins 'shoved phone up his bum in prison'
LOSTPROPHETS singer Ian Watkins shoved his mobile phone up his bum so prison officers wouldn't find the device, a court has heard.
Leed Crown Court heard that disgraced popstar Watkins placed the phone inside his anus so prison officers wouldn't find it and stop him seeing his mum.
Officials at HMP Wakefield removed the 42-year-old from his cell after being given information he was illegally storing a phone.
The court heard nothing was recovered from Watkins' person when he was strip searched inside a separate sterilised cell.
It was said the rocker then asked a prison guard if he would be allowed to see his mum, who was due to visit that same day, if he gave up the phone.
He then reached into his underwear and produced a small three inch long white GTSTAR model mobile phone.
Watkins appeared in the dock at Leeds Crown Court on Monday wearing a blue denim jacket with a sheepskin collar and a white t-shirt.
The musician was also wearing a large metal inverted crucifix around his neck, light-coloured earrings and had his hair pushed back.
Watkins, originally from Pontypridd, pleaded not guilty to possessing a mobile phone in his cell at a hearing in February.
Stephen Wood, prosecuting, said Watkins had access to a phone between March 3 and March 10, 2018.
Mr Wood said: "On March 10 a prison officer at HMP Wakefield went to the defendant's cell, the intention was to remove the defendant to a sterile cell so he could be searched.
"The prison had received information the defendant was in possession of a phone. The defendant was searched and nothing was found.
"During the search the defendant was asked if he had a mobile phone about him and he replied he did not.
"After the search the defendant said his mother was travelling to visit him and he asked if he would still be allowed to see her."
Mr Wood added: "When the prison officer went back he asked if he could still have the visit if he handed over the telephone.
"The officer asked if he had a phone and he [Watkins] replied that he did. The defendant reached in to his underwear and towards his anus.
"After about 10 seconds the defendant then produced a small white telephone. It must have been inserted into the defendant's anus."
A subsequent search of Watkins' cell uncovered a small phone charger, the court heard.
The five-day trial continues.
If you want to get into the nitty gritty of the trial, The Examiner (archive) has a detailed "what the fuck happened" article which explains what happened in today's trial every 10 minutes or so. This includes Ian admitting to having the phone up his bum and a interview with one of his former groupies. (Read from the bottom of this quote to the top of the quote).
15:51
Trial adjourned
The jury has been sent home until 10.30am tomorrow.
15:42
Cross-examination of witness
Mr Burrows asked Miss Persson if she communicated with Watkins about money.
She denied this.
He also asked her if she spoke to other people on other calls with that number.
She said she could only remember the two calls with Watkins.
15:33
“I could get in trouble”
Miss Persson said: “The impression that I got was that he was alone.”
She said the pair continued to text and have ‘normal conversation’.
She said they talked ‘a little bit’ about their relationship but also had general conversation.
She said:
Then she said:‘
“I discovered that I could potentially get into trouble from speaking to him on this phone.”
‘
She said she called the prison. She said she sent one final text that was a smiley face in response to another text he had sent her.‘
“At first I spoke to my partner about it. I was very scared. Then I made the decision to contact the prison to let them know.”
‘
She said she received no further texts from him and deleted his texts.
Mr Wood asked: “Why did you do that?” Miss Persson replied:
15:21‘
“I was scared and I just wanted it out of my phone.”
‘
Prosecution's first witness
The prosecution’s first witness, Gabriella Persson, is giving evidence from behind a curtain.
She said she knew Watkins since she was aged 19 - about 10 years before he went to prison.
She said she was a fan before she met him and seen him in concert. She said they met and began a relationship which continued on and off until about 2012.
She said she researched online to find his location and communicated with him via physical letters to begin with then through ‘email a prisoner’ where she emails online and he replies through letters.
She said he also called her from the prison.
Miss Persson said that one day she got a text with a lyric from singer Rihanna’s song ‘Umbrella’, which was a reference to her first name.
She said she replied to ask who it was and the response was: “The devil on your shoulder”.
She said the person texting her told her that they were trusting her ‘massively’ but she told him that she would need to hear his voice to believe him, adding:
She said either she called him or he called her for 10 minutes and she recognised the voice immediately.‘
“I thought maybe he had given my details to a friend or something, I really didn’t believe it could be him.”
‘
Asked who it was on the phone, she replied: “Ian Watkins.”
She said he told her it was an opportunity for them to speak without anyone hearing their conversation.
She said Watkins described the phone to her as ‘one of the really small, basic ones’ like he had had in the 1990s.
She said he told her he could get in trouble for having the phone but it would be worth it because he could speak to her.
14:50
Video link
There is a short adjournment while a video link to Glasgow is set up for the prosecution’s first witness.
14:44
Statements from prison staff
Mr Wood read out two statements from prison officers.
He said Watkins was housed in cell D3-49.
14:38
Phone numbers
Mr Wood said pieces of paper were found in Watkins’ cell with names and telephone numbers of many people written on them.
He said the numbers written on the paper matched ones that the phone had contacted which is ‘no coincidence’.
14:37
‘In a cell on his own’
Mr Wood said the jury will hear evidence about how Watkins has his own cell.
14:37
Contact with a fan
Mr Woods said:
14:26
- The phone contained the phone number of a fan who he was in a relationship with until 2012; ;
- They had no further contact until she wrote to him in 2016 with an address;
- Contact between them was sporadic after that;
- She received a text from a new number and when she asked who it was the reply said: “It was the devil on your shoulder who drew you and you didn’t care”;
- She knew it was the defendant but wanted to hear his voice to confirm;
- She received a text saying he was trusting her not to mention the phone in their emails;
- They had a 10-minute phone call in March 2018;
- She did some research and realised phones were illegal in prison so she contacted the prison.
Watkins told police ‘serious guys’ threatened him to contact his ‘groupies’
Mr Wood said:
14:24
- Watkins was interviewed by police on July 24, 2018;
- “He told the police that he was being forced to hold onto the phone by other prisoners”;
- He said his life had been threatened;
- He said he had been threatened by ‘serious guys’ with slashing to keep ‘the wing phone’;
- He said these men wanted him to call his ‘groupies’ and pay money then extort money from his groupies;
- The defendant said he was ‘really f**king scared’;
- The defendant was raising a defence known as ‘duress’;
- But he had to be in imminent danger to use that defence;
- He was lying - “There was no immediacy of threat to the defendant”
Trial resumes
The trial has resumed after the lunch break.
13:13
Lunch break
The trial has been adjourned for lunch until 2.10pm.
13:07
Watkins removed phone from his anus so he could see his mother, court hears
Mr Wood continued:
13:06
- The defendant started talking and asked if he would be allowed to see his mother if he handed over the phone;
- Latex gloves and a bowl were produced;
- The defendant reached into his underwear before producing a small white GTStar phone.
Watkins was strip searched before his mother was due to visit
Mr Wood said:
13:04
- He was strip searched and nothing was found on him;
- He was asked if he had a phone on him during the search and he said he did not;
- The defendant said his mother was travelling to visit him that afternoon and asked if she would still be allowed to see him;
- The defendant was told that would be decided by the duty governor;
- The defendant was left alone for around 15 minutes under observation;
Prosecution’s opening statement
Mr Wood is reading his opening statement now.
He said:
12:51
- The defendant is not under any obligation to prove he is innocent;
- It is the prosecution’s obligation to prove guilt;
- Watkins was a serving prisoner at HMP Wakefield;
- He is the former frontman of a well known rock group called Lostprophets;
- The prison had received information the defendant had a mobile phone;
- A prison officer went to his cell and took him a sterile cell;
Judge’s instructions
The judge told the jury that one witness will give evidence over a video link from Glasgow.
He said: “Now no one even looked remotely like they recognised the name Lostprophets and nor do I.”
But he said other people might know the band or they might recall that they do know something about the band so warned them not to discuss the case with others.
He told jurors that the trial may be covered in the press including on TV but warned them not to seek their own background information about why Watkins is in prison because it is ‘not relevant’ to this trial.
12:28
Indictment
The clerk has read out the one-count indictment and told jurors that the defendant has pleaded not guilty to the charge.
12:26KEY EVENT
Jury sworn in
Watkins was asked to stand and indicate if he recognised any of the jurors’ names.
A jury of nine men and three women were then sworn in.
12:26
Jury selection begins
Potential jurors have been brought into the courtroom and told that the trial will finish ‘comfortably within the week’.
The judge asked ‘for reasons that will become apparent’ whether any juror is connected ‘professionally, it is assumed with Wakefield prison’ or has any close friend or relative connected with or employed at Wakefield prison.
None of the jurors indicated so.
The judge then asked: “Have any of you had any personal contact with any member of a - sorry, I’m going to sound like an old fogey here but I’m going to say a pop group, probably something different - the band Lostprophets?”
None of them indicated that they have.
The prosecutor then asked the potential jurors if they recognised a list of names, including several female names and a male police officer.
12:16
Watkins back in the dock
The defendant is back in the dock while the judge and counsel are having legal discussions about the jury questionnaires.
The potential jurors will be asked if they have any connections with Wakefield prison and if they have ever been in personal contact with any member of the band Lostprophets.
11:14
Break
The court is taking a break.
The trial will resume at 12pm.
10:39
Watkins in the dock
The defendant is now in the dock, flanked by three prison officers.
He is wearing a white Star Wars t-shirt, the same denim jacket that he wore at his plea and trial preparation hearing and has shoulder-length black hair. He is wearing a silver inverted crucifix necklace.
10:39
Public gallery
There is one woman in the public gallery and five reporters on the press bench.
10:30
Judge and counsel
The presiding judge is Judge Rodney Jameson QC.
Stephen Wood is prosecuting.
Watkins’ barrister is Gareth Burrows.
Episode 2 of this 5 part miniseries of "the return of Ian Watkins" returns tomorrow.
For those interested, there is a detailed report from the original Ian Watkins case back in 2013. Warning - this is some sick shit. (Holy shit, you can archive PDF files on the web).
Day 2
16:20 - Jury sent home for the day
The detective has finished his evidence and the jury has been sent home for the day.
The prosecution will finish their case when the trial resumes at 10.30am tomorrow.
Watkins is returned to custody.
He has been sitting in the dock throughout today's proceedings wearing a denim jacket over a checked shirt and a Star Wars t-shirt.
16:14 - 'Hundreds' of pages of fan letters sent to Watkins, detective tells court
Detective Allan Whittle returns to the witness stand to give evidence about mobile phone number data evidence.
Gareth Burrows, Watkins' barrister, asks the officer: "We know he is serving a sentence for sexual offences. What he doesn't have are any convictions at all for violence?"
The detective replies: "Not to my knowledge."
The barrister then asks: "It is clear that there are a number of females who continue to contact him in prison, perfectly properly, through the Prison Service with letters, with e-mails and with visits?"
The witness replies: "Yes".
Mr Burrows then asks the officer if there were hundreds of pages of letters from fans in Watkins' cell when it was searched.
The detective replies: "I would accept that."
15:20 - Prosecutor reads out list of items allegedly found in Watkins' cell
The trial resumes after the lunch break.
The prosecutor reads out some agreed facts in the case:
- Pieces of paper and address books were recovered from Watkins’ cell.
- The seized phone was sent to police for analysis.
- The phone - a GT-Star BM50 model - was examined by Durham police force.
- It was a pay-as-you-go phone that was first registered in May 2017.
- The phone was activated on February 28, 2018. The same day, £20 of credit was put on the phone at a service station in Manchester.
- A further £20 of credit was put on the phone on March 6 at a service station on Doncaster Road, Wakefield.
- Police identified three numbers on the phone which were attributed to three women.
Those numbers were on a list of Approved Telephone Numbers (ATN) held by the prison which the defendant was allowed to contact.
- Numbers attributed to four other women were recovered from the notes in Watkins’ cell.
One of the numbers was on a barred list which he was prohibited from contacting.
- Prison records show that, during the period of the alleged offending, Watkins was “unemployed and retired from gym”.
Mr Wood says: “Save for visits he would have spent the majority of his time on his own locked in his cell.”
13:30 - Watkins told police through tears 'I'm just f****** really scared'
The reading of the transcript of Watkins’ police interview continues.
He told officers: “I’m just f****** really scared.”
A police officer asked Watkins if he would like to be transferred to another wing or to another prison.
He replied: “At the moment it’s kind of alright.”
Watkins could then be heard crying on the recording of the interview.
The officer asked: “Is there anything we can do to address any safeguarding issues?”
Watkins replied: “No”.
The reading of the transcript finishes and the case is adjourned for lunch.
13:15 - Inmates wanted Watkins to use phone to coerce 'groupies' into sending them money, court hears
Watkins initially answered no comment to questions asked of him.
Watkins then told the officers: “Just sitting here saying ‘no comment’ is doing my head in.”
He then told police: “I have constantly been a target. Constantly taking s***.
“There was a bunch of guys who are are a serious f****** bunch of people and I have never been in this situation before.
“I have been threatened with my life, being slashed. I really don’t know how to handle it.
“They are forcing me to hold this phone.”
Watkins told the officers that the prisoners who had threatened him were “flooding” the jail with mobile phones.
The defendant told the police that he had been ordered to use the phone to contact his “groupies”.
He said: “They want me to go around calling the girls and all the people I know and the fans and to get all their money.
“They tell me to contact each one because once I had done it they had their numbers on their phone.”
Watkins told the officers that the men threatening him intended to contact his fans and tell them they would kill him unless they paid them or gave them their bank details.
Watkins said: “They would just keep calling them and threatening them and say, ‘Unless you pay him he is going to f****** get it.”
13:06 - Transcript read out from Watkins' police interview
The jury is now being read a transcript of Watkins’ police interview after his arrest.
The interview took place on July 24 2018.
It took place at HMP Wakefield and lasted just under an hour.
Detective Allan Whittle reads out Watkins’ answers and Mr Wood reads the police questions put to the defendant at the time.
12:35 - Governor confirms allegations of 'bullying and taxing'
Mr Burrows asks if “bullying and taxing” takes place within the prison community where inmates are forced to hold mobile phones for others.
He replies: “That can happen, yes.”
12:29 - Case resumes
The case has resumed and Mr Wheatley is continuing with his evidence.
He has completed his enquiries into whether Watkins was moved into segregation after the finding of the phone.
The governor confirms that Watkins was placed in the segregation unit from March 10 until May 4, 2018.
After that period of time he was placed on the prison’s C Wing.
11:28 - Adjourned until noon
The case has been adjourned for a 30 minute break. The trial will resume at noon.
11:18 - Prison governor describes 'constant battle' to keep phones and drugs out of prisons
Watkins’ barrister Gareth Burrows asks Mr Wheatley about the prevalence of banned items in prisons.
He asks: “It’s not confined to Wakefield. It’s a nationwide problem that has attracted some press attention?”
The governor replies: “It’s a constant sort of battle to try and keep the contraband out of prison.”
The governor adds that phones are among the the most serious contraband items in jails as they have the potential for inmates to commit further offences while in custody.
Mr Wheatley confirms that he is aware that Watkins was in a band called the Lostprophets.
Mr Burrows asks: “It’s right to say isn’t it that he (Watkins) receives a lot of mail, and continues to do so from females?”
Mr Wheatley replies: “I’m not certain that is the case. I’m not aware of the quantities of Mr Watkins’ mail.”
Mr Burrows asks the governor if it is correct that Watkins’ was placed on a segregation wing for two months after the discovery of the mobile phone in his cell.
Mr Wheatley says he does not know the answer and was not the governor at the time of the incident.
He offers to contact the prison to make checks that the information is correct.
Judge Jameson allows Mr Wheatley to break from giving evidence and leave the court to make the necessary checks.
The jury has left court.
10:56 - 'Measures in place' to prevent phones and drugs getting into prison
Mr Wheatley tells the jury that HMP Wakefield is high security jail housing category A and B inmates.
The jail has 750 inmates on four wings.
The court hears Watkins was on the prison’s D wing.
Mr Wheatley says that the prison has measures in place to prevent contraband items such as mobile phones, SIM cards and drugs entering the prison.
The prosecutor asks the governor: “It is agreed that it is a sad fact that these items get into the prison?”
Mr Wheatley replies: “Yes they do.”
10:46 - Court resumes for day two
The case has resumed on day two of Watkins’ trial.
We are hearing from the second witness in the case.
It is Tom Wheatley, the governor of Wakefield Prison.
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