Disgraced rock star Ian Watkins killed in prison
Ian Watkins, the notorious lead singer of Lostprophets, has passed away in prison after a violent incident, leading to a murder inquiry.
The 48-year-old, who was once a promising figure in the rock scene and performed alongside Metallica and Slipknot, was serving a 29-year sentence for a series of appalling child sex offenses.
Law enforcement did not respond to warnings.
Former Welsh rock star Ian Watkins was the frontman of the band Lostprophets from 1997 until 2012.
In 2013, at the age of 36, he was convicted of 13 sexual crimes, which included the attempted rape of an infant, numerous assaults on children, and the possession of extreme pornographic content.
Allegations of Watkins’ sexual abuse and mistreatment of minors first came to the attention of South Wales Police in 2008, with claims that he had provided children with drugs such as cocaine — yet the police did not act on any of these alerts.
At the time of sentencing, Justice Royce characterized his offenses as “plunging into new depths of depravity” and labeled him a “corrupting influence” with a “complete lack of remorse.” He cautioned that “any decent person… will experience shock, revulsion and incredulity.”
According to West Yorkshire Police, officers responded to HMP Wakefield on Saturday morning after receiving reports of a serious assault.
Attacked in “the most brutal way”
“A 48-year-old man was discovered with severe injuries. Despite receiving medical assistance, he was declared dead at the scene,” the police stated. Two men, aged 25 and 43, have been taken into custody on suspicion of murder, with the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team overseeing the investigation.
Reports indicate that Watkins was stabbed in the neck during the attack, succumbing to blood loss. A source informed the Daily Mail that the assault was “the most brutal way” and “shocking,” with “blood everywhere.” Even though guards hurried to the location, “there was nothing they could do, and they couldn’t save him.”
He was airlifted by ambulance helicopter to the hospital, but unfortunately, his life could not be preserved. The Daily Mail reports that the former rock singer is among the most high-profile inmates to be killed in a British prison.
Opened for Metallica in 2004
This was not the first instance of Watkins being targeted while incarcerated.
In 2023, he was attacked with a sharpened toilet brush during a dispute over a drug debt. The previous year, he was taken hostage for six hours and stabbed, resulting in life-threatening injuries that required hospitalization.
Prior to the revelation of his dreadful crimes, Lostprophets experienced global success, selling millions of albums throughout the 2000s. Watkins even had the opportunity to open for Metallica during their European tour in 2004, alongside performances by Slipknot.
Following his convictions, the other band members completely distanced themselves, creating a new project named No Devotion with American vocalist Geoff Rickly.
Watkins’ dramatic fall from grace — transitioning from a celebrated rock star to a convicted child sex offender — has ended tragically in prison, leaving behind a wave of shock and disgust that resonates far beyond the prison walls.