🔗 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 licence Shamed Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins died after being stabbed in the neck in an reported prison attack, an inquest has heard. Watkins, 48, died on 11 October after being targeted at HMP Wakefield, where he had been serving a 29-year prison sentence for child sex offences including the attempted rape of a infant. The hearing, 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, arrested earlier this week on suspicion of plot to murder were returned to prison as investigations proceeded. Official Statement Medical Examiner Oliver Longstaff said Watkins, who was identified by his full name of Ian David Karslake Watkins during the short hearing, had been declared deceased at the West Yorkshire prison by an on-call doctor and was formally identified by a prison guard. Mr Longstaff said emergency services were called to the jail "after a report he had been stabbed in the neck". The examiner said a autopsy 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 attempted rape and sexual assault of a child under 13. He admitted 13 offences, including conspiring to rape a child, three counts of sexual assault involving children, seven involving creating, making or holding indecent images of children and one of possessing an shocking image involving a sex act on an animal. Legal authorities had portrayed him as a man influenced by celebrity, drugs, and power who had committed crimes "exceeding imagination." Mr Justice Royce said the case had established "new ground" and "plunged into new depths 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, appeared in court last week accused with his murder, but were not asked to enter pleas. Who Was Ian Watkins? Media Archives Watkins appearing in London in 2012 Watkins was formerly one of Wales' most famous musicians - the frontman of the rock band Lostprophets. The band formed in Pontypridd in 1997, and distributed millions of albums around the world. They produced five studio albums, one of which reached number one in the UK. The group also had some success in the US, with their second and third albums reaching the popular charts. They disbanded immediately after Watkins was found guilty in 2013. His former group members spoke publicly about their shock and revulsion. Bassist Stuart Richardson said in 2014: "Although I was completely finished with him, I hoped it was all a error, he was not guilty, 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 formed a new band, No Devotion, shortly thereafter.