Email Evidence Could Clear Townshend’s Name

Chiswick born, Pete Townshend (left) claims to have evidence to clear his name of child pornography allegations. The guitarist, who was arrested and released on bail by police earlier this month, had his house searched and computer equipment seized, but so far has not been charged with any offence.

Townshend revealed that he has email evidence to verify that he was previously in touch with the Internet Watch Foundation, an online watchdog, to complain about websites with material aimed at paedophiles.

In a statement Townshend writes "You may recall that among the media frenzy of a couple of weeks ago, representatives of the Internet Watch Foundation told the press and the news stations that they had never heard from me. I, of course, know that I did communicate with them several times last year and they have now supplied to us copies of my e-mails to them, one in August and the rest in November.

"My lawyers have written to the founder of the IWF, Mark Stephens, who was adamant that they had never heard from me, asking for an explanation.”

The IWF have now admitted that they did in fact have communication with Townshend on a number of occasions.

The Internet Watch Foundation works in partnership with ISPs, Telcos, Mobile Operators, Software Providers, Police and Government, to minimise the availability of illegal Internet content particularly child abuse images. Their Internet Hotline can deal with reports of potentially illegal Internet content, such as websites, newsgroups and online groups that:

• Contain images of child abuse, anywhere in the world.
• Contain adult material that potentially breaches the Obscene Publications Act in the UK.
• Contain criminally racist material in the UK.

January 31, 2003