Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins dies after being attacked in prison

The convicted child sexual abuser and former Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins has died after being attacked in prison. He was attacked with a knife by another inmate on Saturday morning, sources confirmed to the PA news agency. The 48-year-old was serving a 29-year prison sentence at HMP Wakefield, with a further six years on licence, after admitting a string of sex offences including the attempted rape of a baby. He was arrested after the execution of a drugs warrant at his Pontypridd home on 21 September 2012, when a large number of computers, mobile phones and storage devices were seized. West Yorkshire police said detectives from the homicide and major inquiry team were investigating after prison staff reported an assault on a prisoner, who was pronounced dead at the scene. A spokesperson for West Yorkshire police said: “At 9.39am this morning, police were called by staff at HMP Wakefield reporting an assault on a prisoner. “Emergency services attended and the man was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later. Detectives from the homicide and major enquiry team are investigating and inquiries remain ongoing at the scene.” A Prison Service spokesperson said they could not comment while the police investigate. Watkins was previously stabbed in an incident at the same prison in 2023, suffering non-life-threatening injuries after he was reportedly taken hostage by three other inmates before being freed by prison officers six hours later. When sentenced at Cardiff crown court, the singer was told he was being given an extended sentence – and a judge said his crimes “plumbed new depths of depravity”. After being caught with a mobile phone behind bars in 2019, he told a court that he was locked up with “murderers, mass murderers, rapists, paedophiles, serial killers – the worst of the worst”. PA Media contributed to this report