Photo: WENN

Celebrity Peaches Geldof has apologised for tweeting the identities of the mothers involved in the Ian Watkins child sex abuse case.

Earlier this week (Tuesday 26 November, 2013), former Lostprophets frontman Watkins admitted charges of attempting to rape a baby, as well as the sexual assault of a child under 13. He also admitted three counts of sexual assault involving children and six involving taking, making and possessing indecent images of children and one of possessing an extreme pornographic image involving a sex act on an animal. The court was told how Watkins had extreme illegal pornography on his computers, had boasted of wanting to blow meth smoke in a baby's face, and even filmed encounters he'd had with 16-year-old Lostprophets fans in school uniforms. 

Two women aged 21 and 24, who can't be named for legal reasons, were on trial in the dock alongside Watkins. Chris Clee QC, prosecuting said: "Both women sexually abused their own children and made them available to Watkins for him to abuse."

However, despite the law stating that the women should remain anonymous as not to reveal the identities of the abused children, Geldof took to Twitter to post their names. 

Then, South West Police revealed that they were investigating the Boom Town Rats' frontman's daughter over the issue and Peaches deleted the tweets.

Now, in a series of Tweets, Geldof has explained herself and apologised:

"For all of those out there tweeting me about naming the paedophile mothers involved in the Ian Watkins case, the names have been in the-public domain since December 12th when the court named them and put them up on their website for all to see.

"Half of twitter had tweeted out the names also aside from my (now deleted) tweet. The babies will most probably be given new identities to protect them from future abuse from other paedos who know who they are / their names from the videos Watkins uploaded to paedo websites.

"The question of whether or not to give anonymity to criminals in cases like this will go on forever. However these women and Watkins will be getting three meals a day, a double bed, cable TV etc all funded by the tax payer alongside not being named apparently.

"It makes me sad. I deleted my tweets however and apologise for any offence caused as at the time of tweeting had only seen everyone tweeting the names at me so had assumed as they were also up on news websites and the crown courts public file that they had been released for public knowledge. Will check my facts before tweeting next time. apologies and lesson learned."

Ian Watkins, 35 from Pontypridd, will be sentenced on 18 December, 2013.