Watkins died at HMP Wakefield, the English prison where he was serving his sentence. He was 48. Police attended the prison on Saturday 11 October after receiving a report of a serious assault; the Lostprophets singer was pronounced dead at the scene. Two men, aged 25 and 43, were arrested on suspicion of his murder.
In December 2013, Watkins was sentenced to 29 years in prison and six years on licence for sexual offences against children, including the attempted rape of a baby. Following the sentencing, Des Mannion, national head of the NSPCC’s service for Wales, said the musician “used his status and worldwide fame as a means of manipulating people and sexually abusing children”.
Rico Gedel, one of the prisoners accused of killing Ian Watkins, said that he hated sharing a wing with inmates convicted of sexual offences against children and had previously threatened to assault other prisoners for that reason. Before stabbing him, he allegedly said: “This is what paedophiles deserve”.
