🔗 Share this article Cause of Paedophile Singer's Jail Demise Disclosed Police Department The disgraced rock star from Pontypridd was handed to 29 years in prison plus six years on extended licence Disgraced Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins passed away after being attacked in the throat in an reported prison attack, an inquest has learned. Watkins, 48, succumbed on 11 October after being targeted at HMP Wakefield, where he had been completing a 29-year jail sentence for child sex offences including the sexual assault of a baby. The hearing, opened earlier at Wakefield Coroner's Court, was postponed pending the completion of an related murder trial. Two men have been accused with murder in relation to Watkins' death while two other men, aged 23 and 39, detained earlier this week on suspicion of conspiracy to murder were sent back to prison as investigations continued. Official Findings Coroner Oliver Longstaff said Watkins, who was referred to by his full name of Ian David Karslake Watkins during the short proceeding, had been declared deceased at the West Yorkshire jail by an attending doctor and was officially recognized by a prison officer. Mr Longstaff said emergency services were called to the jail "following a report he had been stabbed in the throat". The coroner said a post-mortem report gave the cause of death as an wound to the throat. 'Depths of Depravity' In 2013 at Cardiff Crown Court, Watkins denied rape but confessed to the sexual assault and sexual assault of a child under 13. He pleaded guilty to 13 crimes, including conspiring to rape a child, three counts of sexual assault involving children, seven involving creating, producing or holding inappropriate images of children and one of possessing an shocking image involving a sex act on an creature. Legal authorities had described him as a man corrupted by fame, substances, and influence who had committed crimes "beyond imagination." Mr Justice Royce said the case had broken "new ground" and "plunged into new depths of wickedness". Watkins was also attacked in prison in 2023. Following that attack, he was taken to hospital with injuries which were not fatal. Rashid Gedel, 25, and Samuel Dodsworth, 43, appeared in court last week charged with his murder, but were not required to enter pleas. Background of Ian Watkins? Media Archives Watkins appearing 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 distributed millions of albums across the world. They produced five studio albums, one of which achieved number one in the UK. The group also had some success in the US, with their second and third albums attaining the top-40. They separated immediately after Watkins was found guilty in 2013. His former group members spoke publicly about their surprise and disgust. Bassist Stuart Richardson said in 2014: "Although I was completely done with him, I wished it was all a error, he was innocent, he had to be. "The first time, we knew the band was done. You can't go back from that." The other bandmates and American singer Geoff Rickly created a new band, No Devotion, shortly thereafter.