🔗 Share this article Reason of Child Sex Offender Musician's Prison Demise Revealed Police Department The disgraced rock star from Pontypridd was handed to 29 years in jail plus six years on extended supervision Shamed Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins passed away after being attacked in the throat in an reported prison attack, an investigation has heard. Watkins, forty-eight, succumbed 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 inquest, opened earlier at Wakefield Coroner's Court, was adjourned pending the completion of an associated murder case. Two men have been accused with murder in connection to Watkins' death while two other suspects, aged 23 and 39, arrested earlier this week on allegation of conspiracy to murder were sent back to prison as investigations continued. Coroner Statement Coroner Oliver Longstaff said Watkins, who was referred to by his full name of Ian David Karslake Watkins during the short proceeding, had been pronounced dead at the West Yorkshire jail by an on-call doctor and was officially identified by a prison guard. Mr Longstaff said emergency services were summoned to the jail "following a report he had been attacked in the throat". The coroner said a post-mortem report gave the reason of death as an wound to the throat. 'Depths of Depravity' In 2013 at Cardiff Crown Court, Watkins denied rape but admitted the sexual assault and sexual assault of a child under 13. He pleaded guilty to 13 offences, including plotting 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 image involving a sex act on an creature. Legal authorities had portrayed him as a man corrupted by fame, substances, and power who had perpetrated crimes "exceeding imagination." Mr Justice Royce said the case had established "new ground" and "plunged into new depths of wickedness". Watkins was also attacked in prison in 2023. Following that incident, he was taken to medical facility with wounds which were not fatal. Rashid Gedel, 25, and Samuel Dodsworth, 43, were presented 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 recognisable artists - the frontman of the rock band Lostprophets. The band started in Pontypridd in 1997, and distributed millions of albums around the world. They released five studio albums, one of which reached number one in the UK. The group also had some achievement in the US, with their second and third albums attaining the popular charts. They separated promptly after Watkins was convicted in 2013. His former group members spoke openly about their surprise and disgust. Bassist Stuart Richardson said in 2014: "Although I was completely done with him, I wished it was all a mistake, he was innocent, he had to be. "The first time, we knew the band was done. You can't return from that." The remaining members and American singer Geoff Rickly formed a new band, No Devotion, soon after.