Reason of Child Sex Offender Singer's Prison Demise Disclosed

Police Department

Shamed Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins passed away after being attacked in the neck in an reported prison attack, an investigation has learned.

Watkins, 48, succumbed on 11 October after being targeted at HMP Wakefield, where he had been completing a 29-year prison sentence for child sex crimes including the sexual assault of a baby.

The inquest, opened earlier at Wakefield Coroner's Court, was adjourned pending the conclusion of an related murder trial.

Two individuals have been charged with murder in connection to Watkins' death while two other suspects, aged 23 and 39, detained earlier this week on suspicion of plot to murder were sent back to prison as inquiries continued.

Coroner Findings

Medical Examiner Oliver Longstaff said Watkins, who was identified by his full name of Ian David Karslake Watkins during the brief hearing, had been pronounced dead at the West Yorkshire jail by an attending doctor and was officially identified by a prison officer.

Mr Longstaff said emergency services were summoned to the jail "after a report he had been stabbed in the neck".

The examiner said a autopsy report gave the reason of death as an incision to the neck.

'Extreme Wickedness'

In 2013 at Cardiff Crown Court, Watkins denied rape but admitted the attempted rape and abuse of a child under 13.

He pleaded guilty to 13 offences, including plotting to rape a child, three counts of sexual assault involving children, seven involving taking, making or possessing inappropriate images of children and one of having an extreme image involving a sex act on an creature.

Prosecutors had described him as a man corrupted by fame, substances, and power who had committed crimes "exceeding imagination."

Mr Justice Royce said the case had established "unprecedented territory" and "plunged into new levels of wickedness".

Watkins was also attacked in prison in 2023. After that attack, he was taken to hospital with injuries which were not life-threatening.

Rashid Gedel, 25, and Samuel Dodsworth, 43, were presented in court last week accused with his murder, but were not required to enter pleas.

Who Was Ian Watkins?

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Watkins was formerly one of Wales' most recognisable musicians - the frontman of the rock band Lostprophets.

The band formed in Pontypridd in 1997, and distributed millions of albums across the world.

They produced five studio albums, one of which achieved number one in the UK.

The group also had some achievement in the US, with their second and third albums reaching the top-40.

They separated promptly after Watkins was found guilty in 2013.

His previous group members spoke publicly about their surprise and revulsion.

Bassist Stuart Richardson said in 2014: "Although I was completely finished with him, I wished it was all a mistake, he was innocent, he had to be.

"The first time, we knew the band was done. You can't return from that."

The other members and American singer Geoff Rickly created a new band, No Devotion, shortly thereafter.