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Disgraced Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins passed away after being stabbed in the neck in an reported prison incident, an inquest has heard.

Watkins, forty-eight, died on 11 October after being targeted at HMP Wakefield, where he had been serving a 29-year prison sentence for child sex crimes including the sexual assault of a baby.

The hearing, opened earlier at Wakefield Coroner's Court, was postponed pending the conclusion of an related murder case.

Two individuals have been accused with murder in relation to Watkins' death while two other suspects, aged 23 and 39, arrested earlier this week on allegation of conspiracy to murder were returned to prison as investigations proceeded.

Official Findings

Medical Examiner Oliver Longstaff said Watkins, who was identified by his full name of Ian David Karslake Watkins during the short hearing, had been declared deceased at the West Yorkshire prison by an on-call doctor and was officially recognized by a prison guard.

Mr Longstaff said emergency services were summoned to the jail "after a report he had been attacked in the neck".

The coroner said a post-mortem report gave the reason of death as an incision to the neck.

'Extreme Wickedness'

In 2013 at Cardiff Crown Court, Watkins refuted rape but admitted 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 possessing indecent images of children and one of possessing an extreme image involving a sex act on an animal.

Legal authorities had described him as a man influenced by celebrity, substances, and power who had committed crimes "beyond imagination."

Mr Justice Royce said the case had established "new ground" and "plunged into new levels of wickedness".

Watkins was also stabbed in prison in 2023. Following that attack, he was taken to medical facility with wounds which were not fatal.

Rashid Gedel, 25, and Samuel Dodsworth, 43, appeared in court last week accused with his murder, but were not asked to enter responses.

Who Was Ian Watkins?

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Watkins was formerly one of Wales' most recognisable musicians - the frontman of the rock band Lostprophets.

The band formed in Pontypridd in 1997, and distributed millions of albums around the world.

They produced 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 reaching the top-40.

They disbanded promptly after Watkins was convicted in 2013.

His previous bandmates spoke openly about their shock and revulsion.

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 other members and American singer Geoff Rickly formed a new band, No Devotion, soon after.