HMV Pulls Lostprophets’ Music Following Singer’s Sex Abuse Case

British entertainment retailer HMV has yanked Lostprophets’ music from its stores and Website after the alternative rock act’s frontman pleaded guilty this week to a series of appalling sexual offenses. A spokesman for HMV told NME that the 140-store chain won’t sell any of the now-defunct Welsh band’s music from its 140 stores and online, and that staff have been told to take-down any remaining stock from its shelves.
The group’s former frontman Ian Watkins, 36, was arrested last December and charged with more than 20 offenses, including raping a baby, conspiring to sexually assault a child and making indecent images.

He had denied the charges but changed his plea Tuesday at Cardiff Crown Court and admitted 11 offenses, including sexually touching a 1-year-old, encouraging a groupie to abuse her child and making child pornography. He maintained that he was not guilty of the rape charge.

Lostprophets was formed in 1997 and had a chart-topping British album in 2006 with “Liberation Transmission.” They scored a No. 1 hit on Billboard’s Alternative Songs chart in 2004 with “Last Train Home.” The band split in October.

Source: Billboard