Ian Watkins: Lostprophets frontman, convicted pedophile, stabbed to death in Wakefield prison attack
Disgraced former rock star and convicted pedophile Ian Watkins has been murdered in prison in a brutal knife attack allegedly carried out by a fellow inmate.
The ex-Lostprophets frontman was serving a 29-year sentence at HMP Wakefield in West Yorkshire for a series of child sex crimes.
West Yorkshire Police confirmed that two men, aged 25 and 43, have been arrested on suspicion of murder.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Watkins was imprisoned in December 2013 after being convicted of multiple offences, including the attempted rape of a baby.
According to police, officers were called to the prison on Saturday morning (local time) following reports of a serious assault on an inmate, who was declared dead at the scene.
A spokesperson for the Prison Service confirmed an incident had taken place and a source told The Sun that he was stabbed in the neck.
“Watkins has been killed in the most brutal way possible - and the attack was shocking, even by prison standards,” they told the outlet.
“He was targeted by another inmate who shanked him in the neck.
“Guards were nearby and raced to the scene pretty quickly - but there was nothing they could do, and they could not save him.”
The entire prison was placed in lockdown, according to the source, and all inmates were confined to their cells.
“The bloke who got him this time went for his jugular and it looks like a pre-planned attack,” the source added.
“Watkins was obviously high-profile and in for the most disgusting crimes.
“So that meant he was walking around with a target on his back, and this has happened.
“Despite who he was, it was really shocking and gruesome.”
Watkins, who was 48-years-old, admitted the attempted rape and sexual assault of a child under 13, though he denied a charge of rape.
He also pleaded guilty to conspiring to rape a child, three counts of sexual assault involving children, seven involving taking, making or possessing indecent images of children and one of possessing an extreme pornographic image involving a sex act on an animal.
In 2014, a bid by Watkins to have his sentence reduced was rejected by judges.
