Ian Watkins, the disgraced lead singer of the band Lostprophets, has died following an attack in prison.
Watkins, 48, was serving a 29-year sentence for a series of horrific child sex offences, including the attempted r*pe of a fan’s baby, per BBC News.
His death comes after years of violence behind bars, culminating in what prison insiders are calling one of the most shocking inmate killings in recent memory.
“Slashed in the neck” — Watkins killed in savage assault by fellow inmate
The convicted pedophile was reportedly ambushed by another prisoner shortly after cells were unlocked. Justice sources revealed that Watkins’ jugular was slashed, causing him to bleed out at the scene despite rapid response from guards and medics.
A prison source told The Sun: “Watkins has been killed in the most brutal way possible – and the attack was shocking, even by prison standards.”
“He was targeted by another inmate who shanked him in the neck,” the source continued. “Guards were nearby and raced to the scene pretty quickly – but there was nothing they could do, and they could not save him.”
The horrific incident reportedly left blood everywhere as alarms blared throughout the facility. The prison was swiftly locked down and all inmates confined to their cells.
Watkins' Offences
Watkins was sentenced in December 2013 after pleading guilty to 13 sex offences, including attempting to r*pe a fan’s baby, possessing indecent images, and encouraging another woman to abuse her child during a webcam chat.
At the time, police described him as a “committed, organised pedophile.” During sentencing, a judge said his crimes “plumbed new depths of depravity.”
His downfall began when police discovered incriminating materials at his Pontypridd home during a drug raid in 2012. Investigators seized computers, phones, and storage devices packed with child pornography, including videos Watkins had made himself.
Watkins’ notoriety behind bars made him an obvious target. Wakefield holds some of the UK’s most dangerous and reviled inmates, including child killers, terrorists, and serial r*pists. Dubbed “Monster Mansion,” the prison has seen a 62% increase in violence since 2022, according to recent inspections.
“He was obviously high-profile and in for the most disgusting crimes,” one source said. “So that meant he was walking around with a target on his back, and this has happened.”
Watkins had previously told a court he was locked up with “murderers, mass murderers, r*pists, paedophiles, serial killers – the worst of the worst.”