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Cause of Child Sex Offender Musician's Jail Demise Revealed

prison image Police Department
The disgraced rock star from Pontypridd was handed to 29 years in jail plus six years on extended supervision

Disgraced Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins died after being attacked in the throat in an alleged prison attack, an inquest has heard.

Watkins, forty-eight, died on 11 October after being targeted at HMP Wakefield, where he had been serving a 29-year jail sentence for child sex offences including the attempted rape of a baby.

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

Two individuals have been accused with murder in relation to Watkins' death while two other suspects, aged 23 and 39, arrested earlier this week on allegation of plot to murder were sent back to prison as investigations proceeded.

Official Findings

Coroner 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 on-call doctor and was formally recognized by a prison guard.

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

The coroner said a post-mortem report gave the reason of death as an incision to the throat.

'Extreme Wickedness'

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

He admitted 13 offences, including plotting to rape a child, three counts of abuse involving children, seven involving creating, making or holding inappropriate images of children and one of possessing an extreme image involving a sex act on an creature.

Legal authorities had portrayed him as a man corrupted by fame, substances, and power who had perpetrated crimes "beyond imagination."

Mr Justice Royce said the case had broken "unprecedented territory" and "descended into new depths of depravity".

Watkins was also attacked in prison in 2023. Following that incident, he was taken to hospital with injuries which were not fatal.

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

Background of Ian Watkins?

performance image Media Archives
Watkins performing in London in 2012

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

The band started in Pontypridd in 1997, and sold millions of albums around the world.

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

The group also had some success in the US, with their second and third albums attaining the popular charts.

They disbanded promptly after Watkins was convicted in 2013.

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

Bassist Stuart Richardson said in 2014: "Although I was completely done with him, I hoped it was all a error, he was not guilty, 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 created a new band, No Devotion, soon after.

The writer

Jennifer Cisneros

Lena is a tech enthusiast and digital strategist with a passion for emerging technologies.

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