Paedophile Ian Watkins, 48, died after allegedly being attacked in HMP Wakefield. This evening, West Yorkshire Police said two men have been arrested on suspicion of murder
West Yorkshire Police said two men have been arrested on suspicion of murder after the death of former Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins at HMP Wakefield.
The suspects, aged 25 and 43, are currently in police custody. The force said in a statement: “Detectives have launched a murder investigation after the death of a man in HMP Wakefield. Officers were called by staff at the prison at 9.39am this morning (Saturday October 11) to reports of a serious assault on a prisoner.
“A man aged 48 was found with serious injuries. Despite medical attention he was pronounced dead at the scene. Two men aged 25 and 43 have been arrested on suspicion of murder and are currently in police custody. Detectives from the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team are investigating and enquiries remain ongoing.”
The paedophile rock star, who was serving a 29-year sentence for child sex offences, was allegedly attacked with a knife by another inmate on Saturday morning. Emergency services were sent to the prison in West Yorkshire but Watkins, 48, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The prison went into lockdown in the immediate aftermath of the incident, sources added. Watkins was jailed for 29 years in December 2013 with a further six years on licence, after admitting a string of sex offences – including the attempted rape of a fan’s baby.
The disgraced singer was arrested following the execution of a drugs warrant at his Pontypridd home on September 21, 2012 when a large number of computers, mobile phones and storage devices were seized. Analysis of the equipment uncovered Watkins’ depraved behaviour.
A Prison Service spokesperson said: “We are aware of an incident at HMP Wakefield which took place this morning. We are unable to comment further while the police investigate.” Watkins was previously taken to hospital after being attacked in 2023. At the time, police said his injuries were not believed to be life-threatening, and a source told the Mirror he had been taken hostage by three other inmates.
In 2019 he was jailed for 10 months on top of the sentence he was serving for child sex offences after he was found guilty of possessing a mobile phone in prison. Watkins claimed two inmates forced him to hold on to the phone so they could contact women who sent him fan mail in order to use them as a “revenue stream”.
In his evidence, the defendant refused to name the men, but said: “You would not want to mess with them.” He also said his fellow inmates were “murderers, mass murderers, rapists, paedophiles, serial killers – the worst of the worst.”
Judge Rodney Jameson KC said he did not accept Watkins had the phone, which was in his possession for five days, because he had been threatened. During the five-day trial at Leeds Crown Court, the jury heard Watkins was strip-searched in the jail in March 2018 and then produced a small phone from his body after he became concerned that he would not be able to see his mother who was visiting from Wales.
In 2014 Watkins was told he could not appeal against the length of his 29-year jail term. Lawyers for Watkins claimed he should have his jail term cut because his last-minute guilty plea spared a jury from having to watch his home-made child pornography.
However the Court of Appeal, sitting in Cardiff, turned down his application for leave for an appeal, with presiding judge Lord Justice Pitchford saying: “These were offences against infant children of such shocking depravity that a very lengthy sentence of imprisonment was demanded. It is not demonstrated the total sentence of 29 years together with the extended licence period was arguably manifestly excessive. Accordingly, the application in his case is refused.”
Among the disturbing videos due to be shown at his trial included his attempted rape of a baby and a webcam chat in which he instructed a crazed fan to abuse her child. Watkins was given 14- and 15-year consecutive prison terms for engaging in sexual activity with a child and the attempted rape of an 11-month-old baby. He was also convicted of 11 other offences – with those sentences running alongside his 29-year term.