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Full CoverageRock star Pete Townshend has admitted having paid to enter an internet site advertising child pornography. But said he had done so "purely to see what was there" as part of a campaign against the sexual exploitation of children.The admission came in a statement, which emphasised his "anger and vengeance towards the mentally ill people who find paedophilic pornography attractive".
The statement was distributed to media representatives gathered outside his mansion in Richmond, south west London, after he discussed rumours that he is involved in a police investigation into child pornography.
Sexually abused
The statement by the guitarist of the Who rock band - idolised by fans since the '60s - said: "I am not a paedophile. I have never entered chat rooms on the Internet to converse with children.
"I have, to the contrary, been shocked, angry and vocal (especially on my website) about the explosion of advertised paedophilic images on the Internet."
Townshend's statement went on: "I have been writing my childhood autobiography for the past seven years. I believe I was sexually abused between the age of five and six-and-a-half when in the care of my maternal grandmother who was mentally ill at the time.
"I cannot remember clearly what happened but my creative work tends to throw up nasty shadows - particularly in Tommy.
Vigilante
"Some of the things I have seen on the Internet have informed my book which I hope will be published later this year, and which will make clear to the public that if I have any compulsions in this area, they are to face what is happening to young children in the world today and to try to deal openly with my anger and vengeance towards the mentally ill people who find paedophilic pornography attractive.
"I predicted many years ago that what has become the internet would be used to subvert, pervert and destroy the lives of decent people. I have felt for a long time that it is part of my duty, knowing what I know, to act as a vigilante to help support organisations like the Internet Watch Foundation, the NSPCC and Scotland Yard to build up a powerful and well-informed voice to speak loudly about the millions of dollars being made by American banks and credit card companies for the pornography industry.
"That industry deliberately blurs what is legal and what is illegal and different countries have different laws and moral values about this.
"I do not. I do not want child pornography to be available on the Internet anywhere at any time."
Townshend's statement concluded: "On one occasion, I used a credit card to enter a site advertising child porn. I did this purely to see what was there. I spoke informally to a friend who was a lawyer and reported what I'd seen.
Rumours
"I have enclosed my website article about my friend Jenny who commit (sic) suicide because of sexual abuse she suffered as (a) child.
"I hope you will be able to see that I am sincerely disturbed by the sexual abuse of children and I am very active trying to help individuals who have suffered and to prevent further abuse."
The statement came after Townshend had earlier discussed rumours saying that he was the rock star reported to be at the centre of a police inquiry into claims of the downloading of child pornography from the internet.
Saturday's Daily Mail reported that details of a musician, a household name on both sides of the Atlantic, had been passed to detectives dealing with an American pay per view porn ring.