🔗 Share this article Cause of Child Sex Offender Musician's Jail Demise Revealed Police Department The disgraced rock star from Pontypridd was sentenced to 29 years in prison plus six years on extended supervision Shamed Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins passed away after being stabbed in the neck in an reported prison incident, an investigation has learned. Watkins, forty-eight, died on 11 October after being targeted at HMP Wakefield, where he had been completing a 29-year prison sentence for child sex offences including the attempted rape of a baby. The hearing, opened earlier at Wakefield Coroner's Court, was adjourned pending the completion of an related murder trial. Two men have been accused with murder in relation to Watkins' death while two other suspects, aged 23 and 39, arrested earlier this week on suspicion of plot to murder were sent back to prison as inquiries continued. Official 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 declared deceased at the West Yorkshire prison by an on-call doctor and was officially identified by a prison guard. Mr Longstaff said paramedics were called to the jail "following a report he had been stabbed in the throat". The coroner said a post-mortem report gave the reason 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 sexual assault 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, producing or possessing indecent images of children and one of having an shocking 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. Following that attack, he was taken to medical facility with wounds 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 responses. Who Was Ian Watkins? Media Archives Watkins appearing in London in 2012 Watkins was formerly one of Wales' most recognisable musicians - the lead singer of the rock band Lostprophets. The band formed in Pontypridd in 1997, and distributed millions of albums across the world. They released five studio albums, one of which reached number one in the UK. The group also had some achievement in the US, with their second and third albums attaining the top-40. They separated immediately 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 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 bandmates and American singer Geoff Rickly formed a new band, No Devotion, shortly thereafter.