Disgraced Lostprophets singer, Ian Watkins, has reportedly died after being attacked in prison at HMP Wakefield, where he was serving a 29-year sentence for multiple child sex offences.
The 48-year-old former rock star was said to have been stabbed with a knife by another inmate, according to reports from prison officials.
Watkins, who rose to fame in the early 2000s as the frontman of the Welsh rock band Lostprophets, was jailed in December 2013 after being convicted of attempting to rape a baby and several other horrific child sex crimes.
It could be recalled that in August 2023, Watkins was also attacked in prison, though he survived that assault with non-life-threatening injuries.
During his 2013 sentencing, the court described his actions as “the most shocking and depraved offences imaginable.” Watkins admitted to multiple counts, including, Attempted rape and sexual assault of a child under 13, Conspiring to rape a child, Taking, making, and possessing indecent images of children and Possessing an extreme pornographic image involving a sex act with an animal
He was sentenced to 29 years in prison with an additional six years on licence, while his two female co-defendants — mothers of children he abused — were jailed for 14 and 17 years respectively.
In 2014, Watkins’ attempt to appeal his sentence was rejected, with judges ruling that the punishment was appropriate given the severity of his crimes.
A report from the Chief Inspector of Prisons said: “Many prisoners told us they felt unsafe, particularly older men convicted of sexual offences who increasingly shared the prison with a growing cohort of younger prisoners.”
