🔗 Share this article Cause of Child Sex Offender Musician's Prison Death Revealed Police Department The disgraced rock star from Pontypridd was handed to 29 years in jail plus six years on extended licence Shamed Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins passed away after being attacked in the throat in an alleged prison incident, an inquest has learned. Watkins, forty-eight, died on 11 October after being assaulted at HMP Wakefield, where he had been serving a 29-year prison sentence for child sex offences including the sexual assault of a baby. The hearing, opened earlier at Wakefield Coroner's Court, was adjourned pending the conclusion of an related murder case. Two individuals have been accused with murder in relation to Watkins' death while two other men, aged 23 and 39, detained earlier this week on suspicion of plot to murder were returned to prison as inquiries continued. Official Statement Coroner Oliver Longstaff said Watkins, who was identified by his full name of Ian David Karslake Watkins during the short hearing, had been pronounced dead at the West Yorkshire prison by an on-call doctor and was officially identified by a prison officer. Mr Longstaff said emergency services were summoned to the jail "after a report he had been attacked in the neck". The examiner said a post-mortem report gave the reason of death as an wound to the neck. 'Depths of Depravity' In 2013 at Cardiff Crown Court, Watkins refuted rape but admitted the sexual assault and sexual assault of a child under 13. He admitted 13 offences, including plotting to rape a child, three counts of sexual assault involving children, seven involving taking, producing or possessing inappropriate images of children and one of having an shocking image involving a sex act on an creature. Legal authorities had described him as a man corrupted by celebrity, drugs, and power who had committed crimes "beyond imagination." Mr Justice Royce said the case had established "new ground" and "plunged into new levels of depravity". Watkins was also attacked in prison in 2023. After that attack, he was taken to medical facility with injuries which were not life-threatening. Rashid Gedel, 25, and Samuel Dodsworth, 43, were presented in court last week accused with his murder, but were not asked to enter responses. Background of Ian Watkins? Media Archives Watkins appearing in London in 2012 Watkins was formerly one of Wales' most recognisable musicians - the lead singer of the rock band Lostprophets. The band formed in Pontypridd in 1997, and sold millions of albums around the world. They released five studio albums, one of which achieved number one in the UK. The group also had some achievement in the US, with their second and third albums attaining the top-40. They disbanded immediately after Watkins was found guilty in 2013. His previous bandmates spoke openly about their surprise and revulsion. Bassist Stuart Richardson said in 2014: "Although I was completely done with him, I hoped it was all a error, he was innocent, he had to be. "The first time, we knew the band was done. You can't go back from that." The other bandmates and American singer Geoff Rickly formed a new band, No Devotion, shortly thereafter.