Crimewatch's 'Curious' Nick Ross: I'd Probably Watch Child Porn

Former Crimewatch presenter Nick Ross has said he would probably look at child pornography online to "see what the fuss" was about.

Speaking at the Telegraph Hay Festival, Ross admitted he would watch child pornography. People were naturally curious about running the risk of breaking the law, he said.

Ross recently caused controversy after campaigners accused him of being an apologist for non-consensual sex. He was accused of suggesting "not all rape is rape".

Ross dismissed the claims and said he was misquoted in the media. There was "never [any] excuse or justification" for committing rape, he said.

At the festival, Ross said: "We're all inquisitive. I had never seen, until I started working on Crimewatch, child pornography.

"If someone said, 'would you like to see what the fuss is about?' I would probably say 'yes'. We create massive temptations."

Ross was referring to a study which suggests people click on links online for pornography even if they are not searching for it - including those showing indecent images of children.

He added: "Does this tell us that we're all awful? I think not."

Ross admitted his views would probably land him in hot water again.

Last week, he was criticised for his views on rape after extracts from his new book appeared in the Daily Mail under the headline: Crime: How to Solve It, and Why So Much of What We're Told is Wrong.

The Mail report said Ross had "provoked outrage" by suggesting "rape isn't always rape" when the victim was drunk, with a boyfriend, or had gone "too far" by leading men on.

Extracts from the book quoted Ross as saying: "Half of all women who have had penetrative sex unwillingly do not think they were raped. This proportion rises strongly when the assault involves a boyfriend, or if the woman is drunk or high on drugs: they led him on, they went too far, it wasn't forcible, they didn't make themselves clear.

"For them, rape isn't always rape and, however upsetting, they feel it is a long way removed from being systematically violated or snatched off the street."

Ross insisted his remarks had been taken out of context.

He told IB Times UK: "[The Mail] chose to focus on sex and hype what I say to make it sound more controversial than it is. Their headline is the antithesis of my view that rape isn't always rape.

"On the contrary, my book cites research suggesting it is rape victims who often don't see rape as rape.

"Far from being chauvinistic I am complaining how chauvinistic attitudes to women in crime still are."

The Daily Mail later acknowledged Ross' complaint that the Mail on Sunday had misquoted him in its headline.