"Having his credit card details in the list could mean just that he'd typed in the credit card details as a way of having a look at the site"

Ah McGrath. Since Townsend didn't come out and say the credit card was stolen, or my kids were doing it, I think this does cast some suspicion on him, especially because he admits to having gone to the site for a look-see. That is how the game works. You pays your money, you gets your peeps.

The fact is, he didn't just suddenly decide he would "come clean" for no reason. Somehow, he was tipped off that he is among those being investigated. So what does he do? Claims he was doing "research" for an anti-porn cause. Mmmhmmm. Pardon some of us for being somewhat skeptical here, McGrath.

And it isn't just the tabloids at this point. The BBC is reporting it. That does make the possibility that these are serious charges, a bit more likely I would think. Not that the BBC is omnipotent (as they proved with appalling bad journalistic standards exhibited in the writing and editing of the article). But they do carry a bit more credibility in society's eyes than the tabloids.

As I said, Townsend is most definitely innocent until proven guilty. But the fact that he himself tried to move pre-emptively in a damage control effort does raise clouds of suspicion, IMO.