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Shamed Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins passed away after being stabbed in the neck in an alleged prison incident, an investigation has learned.

Watkins, 48, succumbed on 11 October after being targeted at HMP Wakefield, where he had been serving a 29-year jail sentence for child sex offences including the sexual assault of a baby.

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

Two individuals have been accused with murder in relation to Watkins' death while two other suspects, aged 23 and 39, arrested earlier this week on allegation of plot to murder were returned to prison as inquiries continued.

Coroner Findings

Medical Examiner Oliver Longstaff said Watkins, who was referred to by his full name of Ian David Karslake Watkins during the short proceeding, had been pronounced dead at the West Yorkshire prison by an on-call doctor and was formally identified by a prison guard.

Mr Longstaff said emergency services were called to the jail "after a report he had been stabbed in the throat".

The coroner said a post-mortem report gave the cause of death as an incision to the neck.

'Depths of Depravity'

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

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

Prosecutors had portrayed him as a man influenced by fame, substances, and power who had committed crimes "exceeding imagination."

Mr Justice Royce said the case had established "unprecedented territory" and "plunged into new depths of wickedness".

Watkins was also stabbed 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 charged with his murder, but were not required to enter responses.

Who Was Ian Watkins?

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

The band formed in Pontypridd in 1997, and distributed 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 success in the US, with their second and third albums reaching the popular charts.

They disbanded immediately after Watkins was convicted in 2013.

His former bandmates spoke publicly about their surprise and disgust.

Bassist Stuart Richardson said in 2014: "Even though I was completely finished with him, I wished it was all a mistake, he was innocent, he had to be.

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

The other bandmates and American singer Geoff Rickly created a new band, No Devotion, shortly thereafter.