Former Lostprophets frontman and convicted paedophile Ian Watkins is useless aged 48 following a knife assault in jail from a fellow inmate. As first reported by The Solar, Watkins was set upon by the inmate in HMP Wakefield, a Class A jail the place the ex-singer was serving a 35 12 months sentence for a collection of kid intercourse offences.
Set off warning: particulars of violence and little one intercourse crimes beneath
In accordance with a supply for The Solar, Watkins was attacked by one other inmate wielding a knife who “shanked him within the neck.”
“Guards had been close by and raced to the scene fairly rapidly – however there was nothing they may do, they usually couldn’t save him,” the supply provides.
Following what had been described as “horrific” scenes, the jail was reported to have been instantly put into lockdown as Watkins was airlifted to a close-by hospital, however was pronounced useless quickly after the assault.
The attacker is believed to have been recognized by police, however his identification has not been made public.
Watkins was sentenced to 35 years in jail in 2013 following some of the surprising legal circumstances within the historical past of fashionable music. A excessive profile rock star because the singer of Lostprophets, Watkins fronted the band for 15 years and 5 studio albums, headlining festivals and arenas all over the world.
On 19 December 2012, nevertheless, Watkins was arrested and charged with sexual offences that included the tried rape of a one-year-old woman and grooming one other particular person – a girl believed to be a Lostprophets fan – to sexually abuse her little one, in addition to the possession of kid pornography and animal pornography.
After initially pleading not responsible, Watkins modified his plea to responsible and was sentenced on December 18 2013. Lostprophets instantly disbanded within the aftermath of Watkins’ arrest, although former members of the band did kind a brand new venture, No Devotion, with Thursday frontman Geoff Rickley, releasing two studio albums.
Earlier this 12 months, Watkins’ former bandmate Lee Gaze launched an announcement on the surprising flip of occasions that led to the top of Lostprophets.
“It’s been 13 years since my band led to probably the most unimaginable circumstances and it’s nonetheless painful to consider,” he Tweeted in July
“Issues might’ve been so completely different. I do not discuss it a lot, however I put all the pieces into that band, and it ought to’ve lasted a lifetime. I by no means actually wronged anybody my entire life so it appeared like the last word punishment.”
Following his incarceration, Watkins was concerned in a lot of controversies together with an extra conviction of being discovered responsible of possessing a cellphone in jail in 2019, and being left in crucial situation following an assault by three different Wakefield inmates in 2023.