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By Liz Perkins
October 12, 2025 — 10.00am
Warning: graphic content
Ian Watkins, the former Lostprophets singer, has died after being attacked in prison, British police have confirmed.
A senior detective in 2013 described Ian Watkins as “potentially the most dangerous sex offender I have ever seen”.Credit: Jo Hale
Watkins, 48, who was serving a 29-year sentence for child sex offences, was assaulted and killed at West Yorkshire prison HMP Wakefield on Saturday morning (UK time).
Two men, aged 25 and 43, have been arrested on suspicion of murder, West Yorkshire Police said.
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Watkins was ambushed, and his throat was cut when prisoners were released from their cells, according to The Sun newspaper.
A source told the paper: “Watkins has been killed in the most brutal way possible – and the attack was shocking, even by prison standards.”
They added: “Guards were nearby and raced to the scene pretty quickly – but there was nothing they could do, and they could not save him. It was a horrific scene, with blood everywhere and alarms and sirens going off.”
The prison, known as “monster mansion” because of the dangerous offenders it houses, went into lockdown immediately after the incident.
In a statement, West Yorkshire Police said: “At 9.39am this morning [Saturday], police were called by staff at HMP Wakefield reporting an assault on a prisoner.
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“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.”
Watkins was previously stabbed in 2023 at the prison – but didn’t suffer life-threatening injuries – after it was reported that three other prisoners took him hostage. He was freed by prison officers six hours later.
The singer was sentenced in December 2013 after admitting to 13 sex offences, including the attempted rape of a fan’s baby.
He was also accused of encouraging a fan to abuse her child during a webcam chat.
Ian Watkins was the Lostprophets lead singer.
Watkins was arrested after police issued a drug warrant on his home in Pontypridd, South Wales, on Sept 21, 2012, when a large number of computers, mobile phones and storage devices were seized.
Analysis of the equipment uncovered Watkins’s offences.
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