'Many of you understandably want to know if we knew what Ian was doing. To be clear: We did not'
The bands former frontman pleaded guilty to a number of sex offences last week, including two counts of attempting to rape an 11-month-old baby.
The remaining members, Lee Gaze, Stuart Richardson, Mike Lewis and Luke Johnson have posted a message to their fans on facebook on Saturday night, claiming they had no knowledge of Watkins’ ‘appalling’ behaviour.
The statement reads: ‘Earlier this week, we learned that the allegations of child sexual abuse against Ian were true, and that he would not be contesting them in court.
‘Until then, we found them extremely difficult to believe and had hoped it was all a mistake. Sadly, the true extent of his appalling behaviour is now impossible to deny.’
'We are heartbroken, angry, and disgusted at what has been revealed'
‘Many of you understandably want to know if we knew what Ian was doing. To be clear: We did not.
‘We knew that Ian was a difficult character. Our personal relationships with him had deteriorated in recent years to a point that working together was a constant, miserable challenge. But despite his battles with drugs, his egotistic behaviour, and the resulting fractures and frustrations within our band, we never imagined him capable of behaviour of the type he has now admitted.
‘We are heartbroken, angry, and disgusted at what has been revealed. This is something that will haunt us for the rest of our lives.
‘Being in a band has always been a labour of love and a platform to inspire people, not to take advantage of them. It's still hard to believe this is happening and that someone we were once so close to has destroyed so many lives, lying every step of the way.
‘Our hearts go out to Ian's family, the fans and friends he betrayed, and most importantly, the victims of his crimes and others like them. We hope for justice, but also that Ian will truly take responsibility for what he's done. We would urge any other victims to contact the authorities.’
The band confirmed their split in October, following Watkins's arrest in 2012.
Watkins will be sentenced on December 18.