South Wales PoliceLostprophets singer Ian Watkins has died after being assaulted in prison, prison sources have confirmed.
West Yorkshire Police said two men aged 25 and 43 had been arrested on suspicion of murder.
The disgraced rock star from Pontypridd was serving a 29-year sentence at HMP Wakefield for child sex offences.
Watkins, 48, was jailed in December 2013 for a string of child sex offenses, including attempted rape of a baby.
Police said they were called to the prison on Saturday morning following reports of a serious assault on a prisoner, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
A Prison Service spokesperson said they were aware of an incident at the prison.
“We are unable to comment further while police investigate.”
He was attacked in prison in August 2023, but his injuries are not life-threatening.
Watkins was sentenced to 29 years in prison, followed by a further six years on licence, and his two co-defendants, the mothers of the children he abused, were jailed for 14 and 17 years.
The attack on Wakefield prison comes less than two weeks after the publication of a report into the facility which found violence there had “significantly increased”.
The Chief Inspector of Prisons’ report said: “Many prisoners told us they felt unsafe, particularly older men convicted of sexual offenses who were increasingly sharing prison with a growing cohort of younger prisoners. »
Watkins admitted attempted rape and sexual assault of a child under 13, but pleaded not guilty to rape.
He also admitted conspiring to rape a child, three counts of sexual assault involving children, seven counts involving taking, making or possessing indecent images of children and one count of possessing an extreme pornographic image involving a sexual act on an animal.
Judges rejected a 2014 appeal by Watkins to reduce the length of his prison sentence.
In sentencing, Judge Royce said the case had broken new ground and “plunged into new depths of depravity”.
“Any honest person…will experience shock, disgust and disbelief.”
The judge said Watkins had a “corrupting influence” and had shown a “complete lack of remorse”.
As a twenty-something rock star, Watkins sold millions of albums around the world and won over huge crowds in arenas.
Formed in 1997, Welsh rock band Lostprophets have released five studio albums in total, including a UK number one album and two top 10 singles.
Getty ImagesThey also enjoyed some success in the United States, where their second and third albums both reached the top 40.
Following Watkins’ conviction, Des Mannion, head of the NSPCC national service for Wales, said: “Watkins used his status and global fame as a means to manipulate people and sexually abuse children.
“But we must nevertheless keep in mind that this case is not about the celebrity, but about the victims. And these victims are children.”
