Peaches Geldof has taken to Twitter to apologise for tweeting the names of the two mothers whose babies were involved in abuse by disgraced British rock star Ian Watkins.

The daughter of Boomtown Rats singer Bob Geldof posted a series of tweets on Friday morning explaining that she had assumed the names were already “public knowledge”.

Her comments come after UK detectives confirmed on Thursday night that they were investigating reports of what she had done and were in talks with prosecutors.

-my facts before tweeting next time. apologies and lesson learned.

— Peaches Geldof (@peaches_g) November 29, 2013

“I deleted my tweets, however, and apologise for any offence caused as at the time of tweeting had only seen everyone tweeting the names at me so had assumed as they were also up on news websites and the crown courts public file that they had been released for public knowledge,” she explained.

“Will check my facts before tweeting next time. Apologies and lesson learned.”

The celebrity posted the names of the two women on Twitter after reportedly reading them on a US-based website.

Lostprophets singer Watkins was branded a “determined and committed paedophile” after he pleaded guilty on Tuesday to a string of sex offences, including the attempted rape of a baby.

The 36-year-old Welshman plotted the abuse with the two mothers in a series of text and internet messages.

Geldof on Friday gave a full account of how she came to tweet the names of the two mothers involved.

“For all of those out there tweeting me about naming the paedophile mothers involved in the Ian Watkins case, the names have been in the public domain since December 12th when the court named them and put them up on their website for all to see,” she begins by explaining.

“Half of Twitter had tweeted out the names also aside from my (now deleted) tweet.

“The babies will most probably be given new identities to protect them from future abuse from other paedos who know who they are / their names from the videos Watkins uploaded to paedo websites.

“The question of whether or not to give anonymity to criminals in cases like this will go on forever. However these women and Watkins will be getting three meals a day, a double bed, cable TV etc all funded by the tax payer alongside not being named apparently. It makes me sad.”

She then moves on to explain that she had deleted her postings and apologises “for any offence caused”.

Geldof, 24, has more than 160,000 followers on Twitter, and has worked as a journalist, writing columns for the Daily Telegraph and Elle Girl, and articles for the Guardian.

Police on Thursday said they were “currently in consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service regarding the matter and will take action if appropriate”.

A spokeswoman for the attorney-general’s office said it was aware of the online posting and the fact that it had been deleted.

She warned that sex offence victims have automatic lifetime anonymity and publishing details that can lead to their identification is a criminal offence.

Watkins pleaded guilty to a string of offences on Tuesday that he had previously “furiously” denied.

The charges included sexually touching a one-year-old and encouraging a groupie to abuse her own child during a webcam chat.

Watkins also admitted possessing and making child porn as well as launching the plot to rape a baby.

He will be sentenced with the two unnamed women at Cardiff Crown Court on December 18.