A spokesman from NSPCC Cymru/Wales said: “Serious questions have long been raised about how the police investigations into Watkins’ abuse of children were handled from the moment allegations were made.
“It is of grave concern that the IPCC believes claims of abuse were not properly investigated and that lines of enquiry were not pursued which could have brought Watkins to justice earlier.
“We hope that the misconduct proceedings are concluded swiftly so the IPCC’s full findings into how police investigated Watkins’ abhorrent crimes can be made public.
“It’s an incredibly difficult step to report child abuse so it’s imperative that when people do speak out, they have the upmost confidence that what they are reporting will be acted upon immediately.”
If you have any concerns at all about a child, call the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 or emailhelp@nspcc.org.uk
Children can contact ChildLine on 0800 1111 or visit childline.org
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