Watkins, 36, lead singer of the Lostprophets, changed his plea at the start of his trial this afternoon, but claimed he could not remember the 'depraved' abuse because he was high on crystal meth.
The singer - a former boyfriend of BBC radio and television presenter Fearne Cotton - pleaded guilty to sex offences involving the babies of two women fans.
He pleaded guilty to attempting to rape the 11-month-old baby of a fan 'Woman A' and conspiring to rape the baby daughter of another fan 'Woman B'.
The two fans, both in their twenties and from different parts of England, are also facing jail after admitting their role in the sex offences on their own children.
Cardiff Crown Court heard Watkins was videoed committing the depraved acts and was 'clearly identifiable' because of his many tattoos and his voice.
But Watkins claimed not to remember doing it because he was a 'heavy user' of class A drugs including Crystal Meth at the time.
Watkins spoke only to enter his pleas as he admitted attempting to rape the baby.
Prosecuting QC Chris Clee gave details of a sickening plot to turn babies in subservient sex slaves using hard drugs.
He said: 'Ian Watkins was the lead singer of a successful band called the Lostprophets.
'He was also a determined and committed paedophile engaged in serious sex offences involving of two babies.'
Mr Clee read aloud to the court a series of text and internet messages between Watkins and two female co-defendants.
Watkins and Woman A swapped messages where the frontman spoke of his sick desire to 'make him mine' and to 'cross the line'.
They also spoke of plans to blow crystal-meth smoke into the child's face at a secret meet up in a Cardiff hotel.
And on March 23, Watkins sent the woman a message saying he wanted a 'summer of filthy child porn' and how he wanted to take things 'to the next level'.
Mr Clee also gave details of a sickening 17-minute video involving Watkins and Woman A.
Mr Clee said camcorder footage was shot in a London hotel room which showed Watkins perform a sex act on the child.
Computer analysts found the footage uploaded to online storage facility The Cloud.
Mr Clee said that following this meeting, the pair exchanged emails about how they would not go 'easy' on the child next time.
The prosecutor told the judge that both of the attempted rape admissions were accepted.
He acknowledged that there was an argument regarding what key video evidence seized from Watkins's laptop actually showed.
'From the footage, there is an argument as to whether the full offence is made out,' he told judge Mr Justice Royce.
'If it is made out, it is minimal. There is so little difference between the full attempt and the attempt as to make no difference.
'We are prepared to accept the pleas as tendered.'
The singer, dressed in a three-piece dark blue suit, also admitted sexually assaulting the baby by touching him.
He was filmed committing the sex acts on the baby the day after Lostprophets final album Weapons was released.
The baby's mum, Woman A, admits aiding and abetting the attempted rapes on her son.
She also admits sexually touching the child and taking photographs, before sending them to Watkins.
Watkins also admitted conspiring to rape and sexually touch the daughter of the second fan.
He admits aiding and abetting Woman B to touch her daughter while he watched on Skype.
An earlier court hearing was told police had 72 pages of conversations between the pair online talking about their sexual relationship.
Woman B mentioned she had a daughter of a young age and Watkins said: 'Bring her along as well.'
She said she was getting the child ready for their meeting together - and 'what they all will do together' when they meet up.
The prosecution said the investigation led police to discover Woman B and Watkins had met once in a hotel in Cardiff.
She admits sexual assault after touching the child, she also admits taking an indecent photograph of the child before distributing them.
Sally O'Neill QC, defending, said: 'His position is still the same and he says he cannot remember the events depicted in the videos.'
'He has had expert advice from computer experts and because of this he is now in a position to change his plea.'
Before his trial was aborted, Watkins used the same excuse of "it's been faked" when video footage of him showing him aroused and with a naked baby was found by police.
Before changing his mind at the 11th hour, the singer had stuck to a "fanciful" claim that it was not him in the video - and someone had doctored the footage.
But the prosecution said distinctive arm and neck tattoos proved the person in the video was him.
Following 'expert advice' from his legal team, Watkins admitted it was him in the video - but claimed he was too high on drugs to remember exactly what happened.
His chaotic lifestyle was beginning to show on what ended up being the Lostprophets' final tour with gig goers describing the singer's behaviour as bizarre.
When news of him being charged by police broke, his bandmates spoke of their total shock.
Their website was shut down, with a brief statement saying they were 'in a state of shock' and were 'learning about the details of the investigation along with you' and saying all future tour dates cancelled.
And around a month before the trial was listed at Cardiff Crown Court, the remaining members of Lostprophets announced they had split up.
In a statement, the group said: 'After nearly a year of coming to terms with our heartache we will no longer make or perform music as Lostprophets'.
The post was signed by all members of the band except Watkins.
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