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Shamed Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins passed away after being attacked in the throat in an alleged prison attack, an investigation has learned.

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

The inquest, opened earlier at Wakefield Coroner's Court, was postponed pending the conclusion of an associated murder trial.

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

Coroner 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 pronounced dead at the West Yorkshire jail by an on-call doctor and was formally identified by a prison officer.

Mr Longstaff said paramedics were called to the jail "following a report he had been attacked in the neck".

The examiner said a autopsy report gave the cause of death as an wound to the neck.

'Depths of Depravity'

In 2013 at Cardiff Crown Court, Watkins refuted rape but admitted the attempted rape and abuse of a child under 13.

He admitted 13 offences, including plotting to rape a child, three counts of sexual assault involving children, seven involving creating, producing or holding indecent images of children and one of possessing an extreme image involving a sex act on an animal.

Legal authorities had portrayed him as a man influenced by fame, substances, and influence who had committed crimes "beyond imagination."

Mr Justice Royce said the case had broken "unprecedented territory" and "descended into new levels of wickedness".

Watkins was also attacked in prison in 2023. Following that attack, he was taken to hospital 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 pleas.

Background of Ian Watkins?

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Watkins was formerly one of Wales' most famous artists - the frontman of the rock band Lostprophets.

The band started in Pontypridd in 1997, and distributed millions of albums across 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 popular charts.

They separated immediately after Watkins was found guilty in 2013.

His former group members spoke publicly about their shock and revulsion.

Bassist Stuart Richardson said in 2014: "Even though I was completely done with him, I hoped it was all a mistake, he was not guilty, he had to be.

"The first time, we knew the band was done. You can't return from that."

The remaining members and American singer Geoff Rickly created a new band, No Devotion, soon after.