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Police Department

Shamed Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins passed away after being stabbed in the throat in an reported prison incident, an investigation has learned.

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

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

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

Official Statement

Medical Examiner Oliver Longstaff said Watkins, who was referred to by his full name of Ian David Karslake Watkins during the brief proceeding, had been pronounced dead at the West Yorkshire jail by an on-call doctor and was officially recognized by a prison guard.

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

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

'Extreme Wickedness'

In 2013 at Cardiff Crown Court, Watkins refuted rape but confessed to the attempted rape 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 taking, producing or holding inappropriate images of children and one of possessing an extreme image involving a sex act on an animal.

Prosecutors had described him as a man corrupted by celebrity, substances, and influence who had perpetrated crimes "exceeding imagination."

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

Watkins was also attacked in prison in 2023. Following that attack, he was taken to medical facility with wounds which were not fatal.

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

Who Was Ian Watkins?

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

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

They released 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 previous 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 not guilty, he had to be.

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

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