🔗 Share this article Reason of Child Sex Offender Musician's Jail Death Revealed Police Department The disgraced rock star from Pontypridd was handed to 29 years in jail plus six years on extended supervision Shamed Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins passed away after being stabbed in the neck in an alleged prison attack, an inquest has learned. Watkins, 48, succumbed on 11 October after being assaulted at HMP Wakefield, where he had been serving a 29-year jail sentence for child sex crimes including the attempted rape of a baby. The inquest, 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 relation to Watkins' death while two other suspects, aged 23 and 39, detained earlier this week on suspicion of plot to murder were returned to prison as inquiries proceeded. Coroner Findings Coroner 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 recognized by a prison officer. Mr Longstaff said paramedics were called to the jail "after a report he had been stabbed in the throat". The coroner said a post-mortem report gave the cause of death as an incision to the neck. 'Extreme Wickedness' 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 conspiring to rape a child, three counts of abuse involving children, seven involving creating, making or possessing inappropriate 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 influence who had committed crimes "exceeding imagination." Mr Justice Royce said the case had broken "new ground" and "plunged into new levels of depravity". Watkins was also attacked in prison in 2023. Following that incident, he was taken to medical facility with injuries 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? Media Archives Watkins performing in London in 2012 Watkins was once one of Wales' most famous artists - the frontman 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 reaching the popular charts. They separated immediately after Watkins was convicted in 2013. His previous bandmates spoke publicly 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 finished. You can't go back from that." The remaining members and American singer Geoff Rickly created a new band, No Devotion, shortly thereafter.