Steps Singer Mistaken For Lostprophets Rapist, Feels Brunt Of Angry Public

It's really not a good time to be called Ian Watkins, particularly if you're in the public eye. Ian H Watkins is best known as one of the members of squeaky clean UK pop group Steps, who had a string of hits in the late-90s including 5, 6, 7, 8, Last Thing On My Mind and a cover of the Bee Gees' classic Tragedy.

Ian H Watkins from Steps is a different person than Ian Watkins of UK rockers Lostprophets, who this week pled guilty on some of the most reprehensible child sex charges we've ever heard of. But very popular gossip website E! Online made the mistake of mixing the two artists up and used a photo of the innocent Steps singer with a story about the paedophilic activity of the Lostprophets frontman, reportedly leaving it up for around half an hour.

The story, with the wrong Watkins' photo, was tweeted to the online publication's almost six million twitter followers and as a result, Ian H Watkins' Facebook page was inundated with abuse from an angry public who believed he was the subject of the sickening case, so The Mirror reports..

“Dirty vile scum need to be shot after what you did to them kids, and to think of all the parents that trusted you!!” one user wrote on H's page.

“I hope H is locked up for a long time for his crimes,” another wrote.

Whoever runs his Facebook page quickly looked to set the record straight.

“Just to clear out some of the abuse there has been the past few hours... This is the 'Official Ian H Watkins' website. Better known as H from Steps. H is in NO WAY related with the news about the singer from Lostprophets! Please don't post any comments about the news here because they will be deleted. Thank you!”

After the image was removed, H himself hit the Facebook to let fans know the situation as it stood.

“Thank you to everyone who has supported me today! My management took swift action to remove my image which was posted due to shoddy journalism. I have so far received no apology from eonline.com!!!”

E! Online have since removed the photo and have apparently issued a personal apology to Ian H Watkins, as well as a public statement about the horrid mistake.

“E! Online deeply regrets originally publishing an image of Ian H Watkins of the band Steps, rather than Ian Watkins of Lostprophets, and the error was corrected immediately. We are investigating the matter and will take appropriate action. Additionally, E! Online has reached out to Ian H Watkins, via his management, to apologise directly.”

Ian H Watkins also left twitter this week, with The Mirror also saying it was due to comments regarding the Lostprophets case.

Decided to have a break from twitter... Not sure when I'll be back.. Big Hugs to you all x H x

— Ian watkins (@Ianhwatkins) November 23, 2013