'Child sex' charges rocker remanded (From Chard & Ilminster News)

'Child sex' charges rocker remanded

11:35am Monday 31st December 2012 in Entertainment News © Press Association 2013

Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins has reappeared before a court to face allegations of plotting to rape a baby.

The 35-year-old vocalist, whose band has sold more than 3.5 million records worldwide, was arrested with two women earlier this month.

As well as being charged with conspiring to rape a child under the age of 13, Watkins faces five other sex abuse charges.

They include conspiring to engage in sexual activity with two young children as well as making, downloading and distributing child pornography and accessing "extreme pornography" - relating to animals.

During a previous hearing at Cardiff Magistrates Court, Watkins' legal team said the Last Summer singer would be denying the charges against him.

He was remanded in custody over the Christmas period with two women - who face similar child sex charges.

The pair, aged 20 and 24 from Doncaster and Bedford respectively, cannot be named for legal reasons.

Today, Watkins and his co-defendants appeared in Cardiff Crown Court via video-link.

All three only spoke to confirm their names at the preliminary hearing, a formality in the legal process, which lasted less than 10 minutes. Among those looking on from the public gallery at Watkins, who was dressed in a black suit, black shirt and black tie, was the rocker's mother Elaine.

Watkins was refused bail and remanded in custody with a plea and case management hearing scheduled at Cardiff Crown Court for March 11.