🔗 Share this article Cause 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 Disgraced Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins passed away after being attacked in the neck in an reported prison incident, an inquest has heard. Watkins, 48, died on 11 October after being targeted at HMP Wakefield, where he had been completing a 29-year prison sentence for child sex offences including the attempted rape of a baby. The hearing, opened earlier at Wakefield Coroner's Court, was adjourned pending the conclusion of an related murder case. 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 sent back to prison as inquiries continued. Official Findings Medical Examiner Oliver Longstaff said Watkins, who was identified by his full name of Ian David Karslake Watkins during the brief proceeding, had been declared deceased at the West Yorkshire prison by an attending 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 attacked in the neck". The coroner said a post-mortem report gave the cause of death as an wound to the throat. 'Extreme Wickedness' In 2013 at Cardiff Crown Court, Watkins denied rape but admitted the attempted rape and abuse of a child under 13. He pleaded guilty to 13 offences, including plotting to rape a child, three counts of abuse involving children, seven involving creating, producing or holding inappropriate images of children and one of possessing an extreme image involving a sex act on an creature. Legal authorities had described him as a man corrupted by celebrity, drugs, and power who had perpetrated crimes "exceeding imagination." Mr Justice Royce said the case had broken "unprecedented territory" and "descended into new levels of wickedness". Watkins was also stabbed in prison in 2023. After that attack, he was taken to medical facility with injuries which were not fatal. Rashid Gedel, 25, and Samuel Dodsworth, 43, were presented in court last week accused with his murder, but were not required to enter responses. Background of Ian Watkins? Media Archives Watkins performing in London in 2012 Watkins was formerly one of Wales' most famous artists - the frontman of the rock band Lostprophets. The band started 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 reaching the top-40. They disbanded promptly after Watkins was convicted in 2013. His former bandmates spoke openly about their surprise and revulsion. Bassist Stuart Richardson said in 2014: "Even though I was completely done with him, I wished 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 return from that." The other bandmates and American singer Geoff Rickly created a new band, No Devotion, soon after.