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Disgraced Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins passed away after being stabbed in the neck in an reported prison attack, an inquest has heard.

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

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

Two individuals have been charged with murder in connection to Watkins' death while two other men, aged 23 and 39, arrested earlier this week on allegation of plot to murder were sent back 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 prison by an attending doctor and was officially recognized by a prison officer.

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

The examiner said a post-mortem report gave the cause of death as an wound to the throat.

'Extreme Wickedness'

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

He admitted 13 crimes, including conspiring to rape a child, three counts of abuse involving children, seven involving creating, producing or possessing inappropriate images of children and one of possessing an extreme image involving a sex act on an creature.

Prosecutors had described him as a man corrupted by fame, substances, and power who had committed crimes "beyond imagination."

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

Watkins was also attacked in prison in 2023. Following that attack, he was taken to hospital with injuries which were not fatal.

Rashid Gedel, 25, and Samuel Dodsworth, 43, were presented in court last week accused with his murder, but were not required to enter responses.

Background of Ian Watkins?

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Watkins was once one of Wales' most recognisable artists - the lead singer of the rock band Lostprophets.

The band formed in Pontypridd in 1997, and sold millions of albums around the world.

They produced five studio albums, one of which achieved number one in the UK.

The group also had some achievement in the US, with their second and third albums attaining the top-40.

They disbanded immediately after Watkins was convicted in 2013.

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

Bassist Stuart Richardson said in 2014: "Although I was completely finished with him, I wished it was all a error, 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 bandmates and American singer Geoff Rickly formed a new band, No Devotion, shortly thereafter.