But first we need to know for a fact that they do indeed exploit children. That's why we have courts and laws and rules of evidence.

"Innocent until proven guilty" isn't just a quaint principle of English common law, its just common sense. As disturbing as the allegations are against Townsend, as far as I know he has not been convicted guilty of any crime. Even if he is guilty of collecting child porn, should he be held to account for it if he has never acted on his perversion? Fantasizing about something is not quite the same as doing it.

I think if we are honest with ourselves, all of us are capable of believing and wanting things that we don't want anyone else to know about. As long as we don't actually hurt anybody, does just thinking about it merit punishment?

Besides, I noticed a long time ago that artistic merit has little to do with moral or ethical righteousness. Some of the artists I admire most are pretty unpleasant people.