Ian Watkins: South Wales Police face questions after singer's ex-girlfriend says she warned officers he was a paedophile four years ago

Fans took to websites to request help after discovering sickening child abuse images on the 36-year-old’s computer

A mugshot of Ian Watkins released by South Wales Police following his guilty pleas (PA)

South Wales Police face serious questions over the Ian Watkins child abuse case, after the singer’s ex-girlfriend claimed that she had warned officers he was a paedophile four years ago.

Following the Independent Police Complaints Commission’s admission that it will investigate whether the police service acted quickly after being tipped off about Watkins, Joanna Majic came forward to say that that she repeatedly contacted South Wales Police after the former Lostprophets frontman confessed to her that he was a paedophile.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror, the 38-year-old said: “Everything changed for us when he confided in me that he wanted to abuse children in 2008... I went straight to South Wales Police then and made a complaint but they ignored me and said I needed evidence.”

Ms Majic added: “I warned them this man was a danger to young kids but I think they thought I was just a trouble maker… I couldn’t believe how indifferent the police were, it was like they were taking his side and dismissing me as some stalker.”

It has also emerged that, from 2010 onwards, a number of fans went online to request help after discovering sickening child abuse images on the 36-year-old’s computer. Friends reportedly claim that the fans contacted police over the discovery, but officers failed to take any action.

The Daily Mail reported one message posted online before Watkins’ arrest as reading: “His on-off girlfriend reported him to police twice for being a paedophile… He sent pornographic pictures of a little girl to a few girls telling them it was a five-year-old girl he’d raped. He also watches child porn constantly. Sick, sick man.”

The newspaper also alleges that, in another message posted in August 2010, a fan claimed Watkins had been grooming underage girls online.

Five months later, Watkins set up a profile on a hardcore porn site, uploading 27 images showing him involved in depraved sex acts. The images are believed to have been viewed more than 43,000 times by users of the unidentified site.

Yesterday Watkins pleaded guilty to a string of sexual offences, including two charges of attempting to rape a baby.

The 36-year-old former Lostprophets frontman made a series of admissions in a last-minute change of plea ahead of what would have been his trial at Cardiff Crown Court.

Watkins, from Pontypridd, south Wales, insists he has no memory of what would have been key video evidence at the trial showing the abuse of his one-year-old victim, the court heard.

He pleaded guilty to a string of sex offences he had previously “furiously” denied.

The charges included sexually touching a one-year-old and encouraging a fan to abuse her own child during a webcam chat.

Watkins also admitted possessing and making child porn as well as launching the plot to rape a baby.

He was originally charged with rape but insisted sex with the child did not take place during a drug-fuelled binge he says he was on at the time.

Watkins originally faced 24 separate charges - all sex offence related.

He pleaded guilty to 11 charges today, nine of which were unchanged and two of attempted baby rape, as opposed to rape.

Prosecutor Christopher Clee QC told the judge that both of the attempted rape admissions were accepted.