View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

Website apologises after using wrong singer’s image in Lostprophets paedophile story

By Darren Boyle

A website has apologised to a singer after using his photograph to illustrate the story of a convicted paedophile with the same name.

E! Online was reporting on the conviction of Lostprophets lead singer Ian Watkins who pleaded guilty to child sex offences at Cardiff Crown Court.
However, the website illustrated the story with Ian Watkins, known widely as H from Steps.

The mistake was spotted almost immediately by people on social media forums. Despite this, the Steps singer received savage online abuse and several threats.

The erroneous article including a picture of the WRONG Ian Watkins is embedded the Twitter message below:

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

E! Online issued a statement after realising the error: “E! Online deeply regrets originally publishing an image of Ian 'H' Watkins of the band Steps, rather than Ian Watkins of Lostprophets, and the error was corrected immediately.

"We are investigating the matter and will take appropriate action. Additionally, E! Online has reached out to Ian 'H' Watkins, via his management, to apologise directly."

In a message on his website earlier yesterday, H said: "Thank you to everyone who has supported me today! My management took swift action to remove my image which was posted due to shoddy journalism."

H's official Facebook page also referred to abuse directed at the Steps star after Tuesday's court case.

Explaining the situation, the message read: "Just to clear out some of the abuse there has been the past few hours… This is the 'Official Ian H Watkins' website. Better known as H from Steps.

"H is in NO WAY related with the news about the singer from Lostprophets! Please don't post any comments about the news here because they will be deleted. Thank you!"

Lostprophets singer Watkins (pictured above: Credit South Wales Police), 36, from Pontypridd, South Wales, pleaded guilty to a string of sex offences, including the attempted rape of a baby.

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

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

He will be sentenced on 18 December.

 

Topics in this article : , , ,

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network