Shamed Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins has passed away aged 48 after being assaulted by prisoners at HMP Wakefield, Britain’s most secure jail.
Watkins, who was jailed for 29 years for a series of child sex crimes, was found dead at the scene on Saturday, October 12, 2025.
West Yorkshire Police announced that two men aged 25 and 43 have been arrested on suspicion of murder after the attack. Police were sent to the prison upon reports of a serious assault, and emergency responders discovered Watkins to be fatally injured. The Prison Service released a statement saying that it was aware of the incident but would not comment further until police investigations were concluded.
This is the second time Watkins has been attacked in prison. He was attacked by inmates in August 2023 and survived with non-life-threatening injuries.
Watkins, of Pontypridd, Wales, was jailed for 29 years and a further six on licence in December 2013 for a series of appalling crimes, including the attempted rape of a baby. His two female co-accused, both mothers of the child victims, were both jailed for 14 and 17 years respectively.
At the 2013 sentencing, Mr Justice Royce called the case one that “plumbed new depths of depravity,” citing Watkins’ “corrupting influence” and “utter lack of remorse.” The judge went on to say that “any reasonable person will be shocked, appalled, and incredulous” about the offending.
Watkins pleaded guilty to a number of charges, including attempted rape and sex assault of a child under 13, conspiracy to rape a child, three sexual assaults on children, and seven involving indecent images of a child. He also pleaded guilty to the possession of an extreme pornographic image involving a sex act on an animal. He denied rape charges directly.
In 2014, judges dismissed an appeal from Watkins requesting his sentence be cut back, considering the sentence proportionate to the gravity of his offenses.
The assault on Watkins came just a fortnight after the release of a report on life at HMP Wakefield. The Chief Inspector of Prisons report found that violence had “increased markedly” in the prison. It noted that most prisoners, especially older men who had been convicted of sex crimes, did not feel safe among an increasing number of younger prisoners.
Prior to his fall from fame, Ian Watkins was one of the most familiar faces in British rock music. The charismatic lead singer of Lostprophets, established in 1997, gained global popularity. The Welsh group released five studio records, including a UK number-one and several top 10 singles. Their second and third records entered the US top 40 as well, which indicated international success for the band.
During their peak of popularity, Lostprophets had sold millions of records and packed arenas across the globe. Watkins’ crimes, however, which were discovered in 2012 and tried in 2013, sent his career and the reputation of the band crashing in an instant and in a most shameful manner.
After his conviction, Des Mannion, national head of service for Wales at the NSPCC, stated Watkins had “used his position and international fame as a vehicle to manipulate individuals and sexually exploit children.” Mannion underscored that “this case isn’t about celebrity, it’s about victims. And victims are children.
Watkins’ killing has again put HMP Wakefield on the spot regarding prisoner safety and control of violence, in particular among offenders who had been convicted of sexual offenses. The killing remains under investigation, with officials not yet releasing more information regarding the suspects or the circumstances leading to the deadly attack.
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