January 11, 2003 14:44

'I'M NO PAEDOPHILE' - PETE TOWNSHEND

Who legend admits studying child porn as part of campaign he was mounting against paedophilia ...

Who legend Pete Townshend is at the centre of a child pornography storm today (January 11) after a UK newspaper claimed an unnamed UK rock star was being investigated by police dealing with Internet child porn.

The star has admitted paying to view a child pornography site on the Internet but said he did so "just to see what was there".
He said he had been in touch with Scotland Yard to tell them he had studied the site as part of a campaign he was mounting against downloading child pornography from the Net.

A report in today's edition of the Daily Mail said details of an internationally-famous musician had been passed to police investigating an American pay-per-view porn ring. The 57-year-old guitarist issued a statement from his Richmond home saying he thought paedophilia was "appalling."

He emphasised his "anger and vengeance towards the mentally ill people who find paedophilic pornography attractive. I am not a paedophile. I think paedophilia is appalling," he added.

"To fight against paedophilia, you have to know what's out there," Townshend said. "I have been involved in a campaign against paedophilia on the internet but it fizzled out."

The star also said the investigation was prompted by a damaged childhood.

"I think I may have been sexually abused as a child and I was doing research into it. I've been writing my life story and the research is for a book," he said.

"I was worried this might happen and I think this could be the most damaging thing to my career."

Scotland Yard have refused to comment.
"We can't confirm that we are investigating a British rock star. We don't discuss individuals," they said.