In March last year, disgraced Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins was charged with possession of an illicit mobile phone. Now, a recent session at Leeds Crown Court has revealed new details surrounding the charges.
The court was told that Ian Watkins —who is serving a 29-year sentence for sexual offences— was concealing the phone inside his anus. The musician was reportedly using the phone to contact Gabriella Persson, a former fan whom he was in a relationship with.
Officers had received information that Watkins was in possession of a phone, but the officer who conducted the search in a sterile cell failed to find anything. Watkins was left on a 15-minute watch when he inquired as to whether he would be able to his mother, who was scheduled to visit him.
“He reached in his underwear towards his anus,” Prosecutor Stephen Wood told the jury. “After about 10 seconds the defendant produced a small white telephone.”
“You will understand that this must have been inserted into his anus.”
Mr Wood further revealed that a small charger was later found in Watkins’ cell.
Watkins has denied the charge of possession, claiming that he was being forced to conceal the device by other inmates.
“He said his life had been threatened. He told police he had been threatened with being slashed,” Mr Wood shared.
Watkins claims that prisoners wanted him to call “his groupies” and request they send money, Watkins claims he was “really f***ing scared”. The prosecutor has disputed this claim and has shared that Watkins was not acting under duress and had been using the phone to contact Persson.
Persson alerted prison staff that Watkins was in possession of a phone. She revealed that she had known Watkins from when she was nineteen and a fan of Lostprophets.
