Lostprophets splits in wake of sex charges

[October 02, 2013]  LONDON (AP) -- British rock group Lostprophets has announced it is disbanding, months after its lead singer was charged with sex offenses against children.

Frontman Ian Watkins was arrested in December and charged with more than 20 offenses including raping a baby, conspiring to sexually assault a child and making indecent images.

Watkins denies the charges and is due to stand trial later this year.

The five other members of the Welsh hard rock group said in a statement Tuesday that "after nearly a year of coming to terms with our heartache, we finally feel ready to announce publicly what we have thought privately for some time. We can no longer continue making or performing music as Lostprophets."

Lostprophets formed in 1997 and had a chart-topping album in 2006 with "Liberation Transmission."

[Associated Press]

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