🔗 Share this article

Police Department

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

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

The hearing, opened earlier at Wakefield Coroner's Court, was postponed pending the completion of an associated murder trial.

Two individuals have been accused with murder in connection to Watkins' death while two other men, aged 23 and 39, arrested earlier this week on suspicion of plot to murder were returned to prison as investigations proceeded.

Coroner Statement

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 prison by an attending doctor and was formally identified by a prison officer.

Mr Longstaff said paramedics were called to the jail "after a report he had been attacked in the throat".

The coroner said a autopsy report gave the cause of death as an incision to the throat.

'Extreme Wickedness'

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

He admitted 13 offences, including plotting to rape a child, three counts of sexual assault involving children, seven involving creating, producing or possessing indecent images of children and one of having an extreme image involving a sex act on an animal.

Legal authorities had described him as a man influenced by celebrity, drugs, and power who had committed crimes "exceeding imagination."

Mr Justice Royce said the case had broken "new ground" and "descended into new depths of wickedness".

Watkins was also stabbed in prison in 2023. Following 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 charged with his murder, but were not asked to enter responses.

Background of Ian Watkins?

Media Archives

Watkins was formerly one of Wales' most famous musicians - the lead singer of the rock band Lostprophets.

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

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

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

They separated immediately after Watkins was found guilty in 2013.

His former group members spoke openly about their surprise and disgust.

Bassist Stuart Richardson said in 2014: "Even though I was completely done with him, I hoped 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 bandmates and American singer Geoff Rickly formed a new band, No Devotion, soon after.