Paedophile rock star Ian Watkins will continue to rake in thousands of pounds in performance royalties even as he spends years behind bars.
The former Lostprophets frontman could pocket an estimated £100,000 in royalty cash generated since he was arrested and charged last year.
Watkins will be sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court, South Wales, on Wednesday this week.
But he will still be in line for a continued stream of cash for his past work, ensuring he remains a wealthy man.
His notoriety and renewed publicity when he is sentenced could even cause a cash generation spike as music sales and internet searches rise.
The 36-year-old, from Pontypridd, admitted two counts of attempted rape on the baby of one female fan on the eve of a trial in Cardiff last month.
Watkins also admitted conspiracy to rape the baby of another female fan, sexually touching a one-year-old and possessing and making child abuse videos.
He also plotted sex abuse with the mothers of the babies in a series of text and internet messages. Both women, who cannot be named, will be sentenced with him.
Disgust at the depths of his depravity has seen him transformed from celebrated rock star to being universally reviled.
As his artistic activities continue to be broadcast around the world, however, royalty payments collected by the Performing Rights Society (PRS) and others will keep flowing in.
Music lawyer Craig Brookes explained that as the band’s lyricist Watkins would get a big cut of any fees generated.
“The biggest income stream will almost certainly be publishing which, even if radio play has stopped, will still be pretty big,” he told Wales on Sunday.
He said: “So you’re going to get money for plays in gyms and hairdressers and on juke boxes and all that stuff.
“They will say, ‘This is how much music is in the market place so it is likely you are due this amount.’
“He will also get a publishing cut for any play Lostprophets have anywhere.”
Fans around the world continue to play Lostprophets music and video footage of the band remains popular on internet sites such as YouTube.
The case, and Watkins’ notoriety, could also be generating a substantial pick up in album sales for the band he fronted.
“The records could be earning a substantial amount. It could easily have translated to 100,000 or 200,000 extra sales,” Mr Brookes said.
He added: “It could be over £100,000 easily. It could be less, but there will be another spike when he gets sentenced, in terms of money generated – because of clips when the story breaks, then there will be a spike in online activity.
“And there are going to be PRS payments because the music is out there.”
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