The following report is courtesy of Liz Lee from Northamptonchron.co.uk:

A former rock star convicted of trying to rape a teenage boy in his Northamptonshire cottage is to write an expose of his life story when he is freed from prison.

Dave Holland, the ex-drummer of heavy metal band JUDAS PRIEST, always denied any involvement in the attempted rape of the special needs student but was convicted of the crime at Northampton Crown Court in January 2004 and sentenced to eight years in jail.

Author Neil Daniels, who has now written and published The Story of Judas Priest: Defenders Of The Faith, claims Holland wrote to him from his prison cell and is planning to write a tell-all biography of his life and career, as well as appeal against the court's decision.

The letter, dated November 2006 and published in full in Mr Daniels' book, said: "I was convicted of a crime that I didn't commit and like so many others in similar situations to the one in which I find myself, an offence that never even existed in the first place...

"There is absolutely no difference whatsoever between the criteria that is permitted to be applied in sex offences now and that which was applied in cases of witchcraft in the 17th century.

"I am now, after much work and effort that would be impossible to describe in any detail, more of less prepared for an appeal against my conviction.

"I will be writing a book about my life and career in the music business and about the people I've met and events and incidents that have taken place during the course of it, which of course, will include the last 10 years."

Holland, aged 59, was convicted of trying to rape the 17-year-old in his cottage in The Green, Stoke Bruerne, while giving him drumming lessons. The abuse was revealed in a letter written by the teenager to his parents.

At the time of the trial, Judge Charles Wide said Holland had "deliberately and calculatedly planned a strategy to abuse a boy who he knew was exceptionally vulnerable".