Peaches Geldof could face a criminal investigation over a tweet that allegedly named two women who allowed their babies to be abused by the jailed Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins.
The names were posted on the 24-year-old’s official Twitter account and remained visible for several hours until they were removed.
The tweet claimed the names had been released by a court in Wales and on several websites.
However, under British law, victims of sexual offences are given automatic anonymity for life.
Publishing details that can lead to their identification is a criminal offence and police previously warned there was a “very real danger” that messages posted on social media websites may lead to the identification of victims.
A spokeswoman for the Attorney General’s Office said it was a “police matter” but added: “We understand that the names of the co-defendants in the Ian Watkins case were posted online but have now been removed.
“As has been previously reported, the co-defendants were the mothers of the victims.”
Detective Chief Inspector Peter Doyle, of South Wales Police, which is investigating the allegations against Watkins, said the force was in “consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service and will take action if appropriate”.
On Wednesday, he warned: “There is a very real danger that some of the detail being posted will lead to the identification of victims which will cause a great deal of distress to them and their families.”
Earlier this week, the Attorney General brought the first contempt of court proceedings involving the use of social media, after a man tweeted images allegedly showing James Bulger’s killer Jon Venables.
He was given a 14-month suspended prison sentence by a High Court judge.
A number of people have also been fined for breaking the law on Facebook or Twitter.
Nine people were ordered to pay compensation to the woman raped by footballer Ched Evans after naming her online, while Sally Bercow, the wife of Commons Speaker John Bercow, paid former Tory peer Lord McAlpine £15,000 in damages for a libellous tweet last year.
Ms Geldof, who has written for several newspapers and magazines, presented a number of TV shows and worked as a model, has more than 160,000 followers on Twitter.
Watkins, 36, from Pontypridd, South Wales, pleaded guilty to offences he had previously denied in a last-minute change of plea.
The offences included the attempted rape of a baby, sexually touching a one-year-old and encouraging a mother to abuse her own child during a webcam chat.
Watkins also admitted possessing and making child abuse images as well as being behind the plot to rape a child.
Meanwhile, former Steps singer Ian H Watkins was said to be “deeply upset” after he was mistaken for the Lostprophets frontman.
He decided to leave Twitter after he was subjected to online abuse, while the entertainment website E! Online accidentally used his picture to illustrate a story about the case involving his namesake.
The website said it “deeply regrets” publishing the photograph, adding: “The error was corrected immediately.”
However, Mr Watkins’ lawyer said: “This is an extremely serious and damaging mistake to have made and this matter been referred to our lawyers.”
Source Article from http://uk.news.yahoo.com/peaches-geldof-may-face-watkins-tweet-probe-163654709.html
Peaches Geldof May Face Watkins Tweet Probe
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