Lostprophets singer and convicted pedophile Ian Watkins has reportedly died after he was attacked in prison, according to Rolling Stone. He was 48.
Watkins was serving a 29-year sentence at the HMP Wakefield high-security prison — known as “Monster Mansion” for housing some of Britain’s most dangerous criminals — after he was convicted of a string of sex crimes, including crimes against young children and babies. He was attacked on Saturday, October 11, sustaining fatal injuries at the scene.
West Yorkshire Police said two men have been arrested on suspicion of the murder of the disgraced rock star. Additional details regarding the attack have yet to be officially revealed, but The Sun reported that another convict jumped the singer and slashed his throat.
“Watkins has been killed in the most brutal way possible – and the attack was shocking, even by prison standards,” the source told the outlet. “Guards were nearby and raced to the scene pretty quickly — but there was nothing they could do, and they could not save him.”
According to the BBC, a spokesperson for the prison said it is aware of the incident but cannot comment while the investigation is ongoing.
This is the second attack on Watkins at the prison since he was jailed in December 2013. In August 2023, three prisoners attacked him and left him with injuries which, while not life threatening, required hospital treatment. Reports say he was taken hostage and beaten for six hours by his fellow inmates.
After his 2013 arrest, Watkins admitted to several sex offenses, including attempted rape and sexual assault of a child under 13, but pleaded not guilty to rape.
He was also guilty of conspiring to rape a child, three counts of sexual assault involving children, seven involving taking, making or possessing indecent images of children and one of possessing an extreme pornographic image involving a sex act on an animal.
In 2014, judges rejected an appeal by Watkins to reduce his sentence and, in 2019, Watkins was given an extra 10 months in jail after authorities found a phone in his possession. At that time, Watkins argued that other prisoners forced him to hold onto the phone, but refused to reveal which prisoners gave him the phone out of what he claimed at the time was a fear of retribution.
Watkins’ ex-girlfriend, Joanne Mjadzelics, who helped expose the singer of his crimes, told the Daily Mail she was surprised “it didn’t happen sooner,” referring to her ex’s violent death.
“I was always waiting for this phone call,” Mjadzelics told the outlet. “He was walking around with a target on his back from the first day he entered the prison. I expected it to have happened earlier.”
She continued, “I have always been scared of him getting out and tracking me down or something, so this is a relief.”
Before his arrest, Watkins was a massive celebrity as the lead singer of the Welsh band Lostprophets. He formed the band in 1997, rising to the top of the charts in 2000 with the album “The Fake Sounds of Progress.” The group sold millions of albums worldwide, but disbanded in 2013 after his conviction.
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