Lostprophets singer 'grooms single mother from jail'

Ian Watkins of during his days fronting rock band Lostprophets. Photo/Getty

The former frontman of Lostprophets has allegedly been grooming a woman behind bars as he serves a 35-year sentence for planning to rape a baby.

The Daily Mail reports Ian Watkins, 40, is said to have been writing to a 21-year-old single mother, who first met him as a fan when she was just 16, from his cell at Wakefield Prison.

But when she came to visit the disgraced star in jail, he made a joke about her two-year-old daughter seeing her have sex, it is claimed.

The Rooftops singer was jailed in 2013 for a number of child sex crimes.

The Sun on Sunday reported the mother, who has not been named, has now had her child taken into care after social services were alerted of her contact with Watkins.

The newspaper reports the young parent exchanged letters and visited Watkins at his high-security jail.

He said he loved her and suggested she wear an engagement ring, it is claimed.

She said that during one visit he made a sick comment about her tot seeing her have sex.

Children's charity the NSPCC has said it is an "absolute shambles" that Watkins was allowed to carry on grooming from inside prison.

A spokesman told the newspaper: "We're sickened. It's utterly bewildering that he could carry on grooming.

"It shows contempt for children he abused, and raises serious questions about supervision."

According to a friend of the mother, she was under the impression Watkins was innocent and wrote to him to let him know people still cared about him.

The unemployed single mother then visited Watkins in November, and discovered he had put on four stone, gone grey and had rotten teeth.

She was shocked when he asked what she would do if her daughter "came into the room during sex".

She told a friend she felt "scared". But she insisted: "I won't let my daughter near him."

In December, police took away her mobile phone and laptop. Her child was taken from her care.

Staff from Wakefield prison told The Sun there was nothing untoward found in the pair's letters.