A woman who allowed Ian Watkins, the disgraced former singer of Lostprophets, to abuse her baby has issued a bid for her freedom.
Watkins was recently killed in a violent prison stabbing at HMP Wakefield in West Yorkshire, where he was serving a 29-year sentence for horrendous child sex crimes.
The attack occurred early Saturday morning, shortly after inmates were allowed out of their cells, and Watkins, 48, was fatally wounded.
Parole Hearing Looms for the Fan Who Gave Watkins Access to Her Baby
While Watkins' life behind bars ended in a violent and sudden way, another part of his sordid story is unfolding in the parole hearings of one of his fans, known only as "Woman B."
She was sentenced to 17 years in 2013 for handing over her baby to Watkins for sexual abuse and indecent images.
This week, her parole hearing could lead to her release — a situation that is sparking serious concern, per the Daily Mail.
Woman B, who was 36 at the time of the offence, admitted to sexual offences related to Watkins’ abuse of her baby girl.
During the trial, Mr. Justice Royce commented that Woman B did not see her child as a human being.
She was initially released in June 2021 at the automatic release point of her sentence, but was recalled to custody later that year due to concerns over her behavior and failure to disclose important information to her probation officer.
"Her licence was revoked, and she was recalled to custody on September 3, 2021 after she continually failed to disclose essential information to her probation officer," a written summary of her parole hearing revealed.
The parole board has made it clear that her re-release is not yet approved.
Despite her good behavior in prison and some occupational training, the panel noted that she refused to take any treatments aimed at addressing her offences, which raised concerns about her risk to the public.
“The panel was not satisfied that re-release at this point would be safe for the protection of the public,” the summary stated.
“This plan was not robust enough to manage [Woman B] in the community at this stage.”
From Rock Star to Convicted Predator: Watkins’ Infamous Fall
Watkins’ death marks the end of a career that began as a celebrated rock star and ended in infamy.
As the lead singer of Lostprophets, he enjoyed massive success, with the band’s 2006 album Liberation Transmission reaching the top of the UK charts.
However, his musical fame was marred by horrific crimes.
In 2012, a police raid on Watkins' home during a drug bust uncovered disturbing evidence, including child sexual abuse material and videos Watkins had filmed himself.
In 2013, he pleaded guilty to 13 charges, including attempting to rape baby, sexually touching a one-year-old, and encouraging a fan to abuse her child over a webcam.
At the time of his sentencing, Judge John Royce described Watkins as a "manipulative and dangerous sexual predator" and stated that his case "breaks new ground" in its depravity.
“Those who have appeared in these courts over many years see a large number of horrific cases. This case, however, breaks new ground,” Royce said during sentencing.
Following his conviction, the band disbanded, and Watkins became one of the most reviled figures in the entertainment industry.