The Who’s Pete Townshend says child abuse pics arrest saved his life as it led him to cancer diagnosis
THE Who’s Pete Townshend has said his child abuse pics arrest saved his life – as it led him to discover he had bowel cancer.
Guitarist Pete, 74, admitted using his credit card to access a sick website in 2003, although he downloaded no images.
He was given a police caution and put on the Sex Offenders Register for five years – claiming he was only trying to prove banks were complicit with vile online paedophile networks.
He told the Mail On Sunday: “Just for the record, my arrest was probably one of the best things that ever happened to me.
“It probably saved my life.”
Townshend explained that he had been putting off having a bowel cancer check until cops raided his home.
‘IT SORT OF SAVED MY LIFE’
He added: “While I was waiting for the police to go through my computers I decided to have that long-postponed colonoscopy.
“The doctor showed me the polyp. He said ‘this would have killed you in six months’.
“So it sort of saved my life.”
Townshend – who survived abuse as a child – said the stigma of his brush with the law still haunts him.
He added: “It’s something I think about a lot.
“I’m very much involved in supporting charities that deal with the consequences of the sexual abuse of children, including those that are photographed.
“So no, I don’t think it has passed.”
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Townshend and Who frontman Roger Daltrey, 75, are the only surviving founders of the 60s superstar group.
Drummer Keith Moon died of a drugs overdose in 1978 aged 32 and bassist John Entwistle had a fatal heart attack in 2002 aged 57.
The band are due to release a new album – titled Who – next month.