Cops left rock paedo Ian Watkins free to rape kids for FIVE YEARS after hearing of his sick crimes
South Wales officers set to face disciplinary action for their failure to investigate the Lostprophets frontman - after ignoring claims of twisted behaviour made by ex-girlfriend
POLICE will today be blasted for leaving rocker Ian Watkins free to rape children for five years after ignoring a vital witness.
Their watchdog is expected to instigate disciplinary action against South Wales officers over their failure to investigate the Lostprophets frontman.
It follows a three-year probe into cops’ response to claims by an ex-girlfriend made five years before Watkins was jailed for 29 years after admitting sex crimes against toddlers and babies.
Joanne Mjadzelics, 41, first warned Pontypridd social services in a December 2008 phone call that Watkins was molesting children.
Social workers passed her allegations to police, who opened a 2009 investigation.
But the probe was abandoned after six months and no action was taken.
In May 2011, former model Joanne emailed the office of South Wales Police Chief Constable Peter Vaughan to say Watkins, 38, was repeatedly raping young children.
She also told cops she had seven vile images of Watkins himself doing so, which he had sent her.
By then, Watkins was living in LA as his career peaked with his band.
Joanne’s email was passed to detectives to investigate, but they again failed to act.
Instead, police flagged up Joanne on their systems as a nuisance not to be trusted — and later targeted her over the images from Watkins she alerted them to.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission is today expected to call for one detective to face a gross misconduct hearing and others to be disciplined when they publish a summary report into the case.
Joanne told The Sun: “I was ignored by the police on multiple occasions. It is now clear that, had I been listened to, some children would not have come to harm at Watkins’ hands.
“The police have a lot to learn about how they treat credible witnesses and victims of abuse.”
Joanne lodged an official complaint to the watchdog against South Wales Police in 2013. It is understood it has now been upheld.
She added: “I’m relieved but remain deeply worried about what is still to be unearthed with regard to the conduct of the police.”
Watkins was finally arrested in December 2012 and in 2013 admitted 13 offences including rape and conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a female under 13, as well as possession and distribution of indecent images of children.
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