Camilla Jessen
Former Lostprophets frontman was serving 29 years.
Ian Watkins, the former frontman of Lostprophets, has been killed in prison after a violent assault at HMP Wakefield, one of the U.K.’s highest-security facilities.
He was 48 years old.
Violent attack at HMP Wakefield
According to West Yorkshire Police, officers were called to the prison on Saturday morning following reports of a serious attack.
“A man aged 48 was found with serious injuries. Despite medical attention, he was pronounced dead at the scene,” police said in a statement.
Suspects arrested
Two men, aged 25 and 43, have been arrested on suspicion of murder.
The Homicide and Major Enquiry Team has launched a full investigation.
Stabbed in the neck
Sources told the Daily Mail that Watkins was stabbed in the neck during the attack and died from blood loss.
“It was the most brutal way,” one prison source said. “There was blood everywhere. The guards rushed in, but there was nothing they could do.”
Watkins was reportedly airlifted to the hospital by helicopter, but paramedics were unable to save him.
One of the U.K.’s most notorious prisoners
Watkins was serving a 29-year prison sentence after being convicted in 2013 of 13 sexual offenses, including the attempted rape of a baby, multiple assaults involving children, and possession of extreme pornography.
During sentencing, Justice Royce called his crimes “plunging into new depths of depravity” and described Watkins as a “corrupting influence” with a “complete lack of remorse.”
“Any decent person will experience shock, revulsion and incredulity,” the judge said at the time.
Police ignored early warnings
Reports of Watkins’ abuse date back to 2008, when several women alerted South Wales Police that the musician was drugging and abusing children.
Authorities failed to act on those warnings. This lapse later drew criticism from both victims and watchdog groups.
History of violence behind bars
The fatal assault was not Watkins’ first time being attacked in prison.
In 2023, he was slashed with a sharpened toilet brush during a dispute reportedly over drugs.
In 2022, he was stabbed and held hostage for six hours by fellow inmates, sustaining life-threatening injuries.
“Monster Mansion”
HMP Wakefield, nicknamed “Monster Mansion,” houses some of Britain’s most dangerous criminals, including serial killers and child sex offenders.
Fall from fame
Before his arrest, Watkins was the charismatic frontman of the Welsh rock band Lostprophets, which gained international fame in the 2000s with hits like Last Train Home and Rooftops.
The band toured globally, opening for Metallica in 2004 and performing alongside Slipknot.
Following his conviction, the other members of Lostprophets disbanded and formed a new group called No Devotion, fronted by American singer Geoff Rickly.
Prison Service response
The U.K. Prison Service confirmed an inmate’s death at HMP Wakefield but declined to comment further, citing the ongoing police investigation.
“HMP Wakefield prisoner Ian Watkins died on October 12. As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate,” a spokesperson said.
This article is made and published by Camilla Jessen, which may have used AI in the preparation
