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Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins has been sentenced to 35 years in prison for a string of child sex offences today (Wednesday 18 December, 2013), including the attempted rape of a baby.

In sentencing Watkins and his two co-defendants (the mothers of children involved in the charges), Judge Justice Royce told them that their actions 'plumbed new depths of depravity' and that the case 'breaks new ground'. 

Mother A has been sentenced to 14 years in jail, while Mother B has been jailed for 17 years. In handing Watkins, 35 from Pontypridd, a 29-year sentence, Mr Justice Royce gave him an extended licence of six years -  meaning his total sentence amounts to 35 years, and he must serve at least two thirds of which before he is considered for release. 

Last month, 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. 

In a court report from Walesonline.co.uk, Mr Royce slammed Watkins, arguing that he viewed his fans' children as 'sex objects'. He added that Watkins had shown "an almost complete lack of remorse" and that he was a "significant risk" to young women and children.

Watkins' defence lawyer Sally O'Neill QC, argued that Watkins was "bombarded" with messages from fans and admirers - some of "extraordinary depravity" - 24 hours a day, seven days a week. She also argued that the influence of drugs meant that Watkins had little to no recollection of the charges.

Referring to video footage of Watkins attempting to rape a baby, Ms O'Neill said: "He was very shocked when he saw it and couldn't believe he had participated in such activity."

It was also revealed that in a phone conversation Watkins had the day after he admitted to being a paedophile in court, he referred to his trial as 'megalols'. 

"It was like either me go up there and say 'Come on, it wasn't that bad, nobody got hurt'. I do my charm or do I end up making things worse for myself or do I just say I was off my head and can't remember?" Watkins said during the conversation. "I'm going to put a statement on the 18th now just to say it was mega lols, I don't know what everyone is getting so freaked out about."

In a separate phone conversation, the court heard that he told a friend: "It's so hard. There's a lot of ****ing meaningless bull**** like chat that I did to show off when I was ****ing off my head.

"There was no medical evidence, nobody was harmed at all.

"I'm not a paedophile, I'm not. You know I plead (sic) guilty just to avoid a trial, not realising 'Hang on, that makes me look a bit guilty' but I would never harm anybody."

When quizzed by the court on whether he still believed his actions were 'megalols' now, Walesonline.co.uk report that he stated: "No, it's just lols now."

Jonathan Fuller QC, mitigating on behalf of defendant Woman A,  told the court: "She was a vulnerable girl who allowed herself to be manipulated and corrupted by this co-defendant who, as you can see from her account to the probation officer, introduced her to a world of drugs, sometimes pressing it upon her - including injecting her with heroin to facilitate his sexual gratification.

"Ultimately she allowed herself to be taken to a very dark place." Jonathan Fuller QC added that Woman A was "certainly not an obsessive fan seeking out this individual", and that she was "vulnerable and exploited and allowed herself to be so".

In describing video footage that showed Watkins attempting to rape Woman A's son, Mr Fuller QC told the court: "She was the mother of that child and, as we all saw, it probably wasn't so much the sexual activity that was extreme - what was extreme was there a child of this age with their mother.

"That's the appalling thing that she is now coping with and is genuinely remorseful for that, as a mother should be."

The court was also told that Watkins sent messages to Woman B that read: "You can reap the rewards of your master being kind of a big deal...you and your daughter now belong to me."

In mitigation for Woman B, Christine Laing representing, said her client was a 'major' fan of Ian Watkins and that police found 1,200 photos of him on her iPod after she was arrested.

Watkins former band Lostprophets are yet to release a statement on the verdict. 

- Read the full report of his crimes and conviction here