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Reason of Child Sex Offender Musician's Jail Demise Disclosed

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The shamed rock star from Pontypridd was sentenced to 29 years in prison plus six years on extended licence

Disgraced Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins died after being stabbed in the neck in an alleged prison incident, an inquest has heard.

Watkins, 48, succumbed 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 attempted rape of a infant.

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

Two men have been charged with murder in connection to Watkins' death while two other men, aged 23 and 39, arrested earlier this week on allegation of plot to murder were sent back to prison as inquiries proceeded.

Official Findings

Medical Examiner Oliver Longstaff said Watkins, who was referred to by his full name of Ian David Karslake Watkins during the short hearing, had been declared deceased at the West Yorkshire jail by an on-call 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 attacked in the throat".

The coroner said a autopsy 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 pleaded guilty to 13 crimes, including plotting to rape a child, three counts of abuse involving children, seven involving creating, making or possessing inappropriate images of children and one of possessing an extreme image involving a sex act on an animal.

Prosecutors had portrayed him as a man corrupted by celebrity, drugs, and power who had committed crimes "exceeding imagination."

Mr Justice Royce said the case had established "new ground" and "plunged into new levels of depravity".

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

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

Background of Ian Watkins?

performance image Media Archives
Watkins appearing in London in 2012

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

The band formed in Pontypridd in 1997, and sold 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 achievement in the US, with their second and third albums reaching the top-40.

They disbanded immediately after Watkins was convicted in 2013.

His previous bandmates spoke openly about their surprise and disgust.

Bassist Stuart Richardson said in 2014: "Even though I was completely done 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 go back from that."

The other members and American singer Geoff Rickly formed a new band, No Devotion, soon after.

The writer

Angela Smith

An avid skier and travel writer with over a decade of experience exploring Italy's best winter sports destinations.

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