🔗 Share this article Cause of Child Sex Offender Singer's Jail Demise Revealed Police Department The shamed rock star from Pontypridd was handed to 29 years in prison plus six years on extended supervision Shamed Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins died after being attacked in the neck in an alleged prison incident, an investigation 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 baby. The hearing, opened earlier at Wakefield Coroner's Court, was adjourned pending the completion of an related murder case. Two men have been charged with murder in connection 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 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 jail by an attending doctor and was formally identified by a prison officer. Mr Longstaff said paramedics were summoned to the jail "after a report he had been stabbed in the throat". The examiner said a post-mortem report gave the reason of death as an incision to the neck. 'Depths of Depravity' In 2013 at Cardiff Crown Court, Watkins denied rape but admitted the sexual assault and sexual assault of a child under 13. He pleaded guilty to 13 offences, including plotting to rape a child, three counts of abuse involving children, seven involving creating, making or possessing indecent images of children and one of having an extreme image involving a sex act on an creature. Legal authorities had portrayed him as a man influenced by celebrity, substances, and power who had perpetrated crimes "exceeding imagination." Mr Justice Royce said the case had established "unprecedented territory" and "descended into new levels of wickedness". Watkins was also attacked in prison in 2023. Following that incident, he was taken to hospital with wounds which were not life-threatening. 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 once one of Wales' most famous artists - the lead singer 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 reached number one in the UK. The group also had some achievement in the US, with their second and third albums reaching the popular charts. They separated promptly after Watkins was convicted in 2013. His former group members spoke openly about their surprise and disgust. Bassist Stuart Richardson said in 2014: "Although I was completely finished with him, I wished it was all a error, he was innocent, he had to be. "The first time, we knew the band was done. You can't return from that." The remaining members and American singer Geoff Rickly formed a new band, No Devotion, soon after.