Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
The disgraced singer, serving a 29-year sentence for child sex offences, was fatally attacked inside HMP Wakefield as two inmates face murder charges.
Ian Watkins, the former frontman of the rock band Lostprophets and one of Britain’s most notorious convicted child sex offenders, has been killed in prison following a knife attack.
The 48-year-old was serving a 29-year sentence, plus six years on licence, for a catalogue of grave sexual offences against children when he was fatally stabbed inside his cell at HMP Wakefield in West Yorkshire on Saturday morning.
Despite efforts by medical staff, Watkins was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities quickly launched a murder investigation, and two men — Rashid Gedel, 25, and Samuel Dodsworth, 43 — were arrested in connection with the attack.
Both appeared separately before Leeds Magistrates’ Court, where they were remanded into custody.
Their case has been transferred to Leeds Crown Court, with a preliminary trial date scheduled for May next year.
West Yorkshire Police confirmed they received a call from prison staff at 9:39 a.m. reporting a serious assault.
The Homicide and Major Enquiry Team is leading the investigation, and forensic work at the high-security Category A facility remains ongoing.
The Prison Service declined to provide further details while inquiries continue.
Watkins was no stranger to violence during his incarceration.
In August 2023, he was stabbed and held hostage for six hours by fellow inmates at the same facility, surviving that attack with non-life-threatening injuries.
Recent reports have highlighted a sharp rise in assaults at HMP Wakefield, known as “Monster Mansion” due to its population of dangerous and high-risk offenders.
Watkins’ original conviction followed a 2013 guilty plea to 13 charges related to child sexual abuse, including the attempted rape of a baby, encouraging a fan to abuse her child, and possessing extreme pornographic material.
His crimes, described by police as some of the most disturbing they had ever encountered, shocked the music industry and led to the disbanding of Lostprophets shortly after his arrest in 2012.
At sentencing, the judge labelled Watkins “manipulative, dangerous, and exploitative”.
His murder has reignited debate about prison safety and the responsibility of authorities to protect even the most reviled inmates from violence.
Legal experts note that the case represents a rare instance in which prisoners are charged with killing another inmate while in state custody.
The investigation is expected to continue in the coming weeks as the case moves toward full judicial scrutiny.
The 48-year-old was serving a 29-year sentence, plus six years on licence, for a catalogue of grave sexual offences against children when he was fatally stabbed inside his cell at HMP Wakefield in West Yorkshire on Saturday morning.
Despite efforts by medical staff, Watkins was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities quickly launched a murder investigation, and two men — Rashid Gedel, 25, and Samuel Dodsworth, 43 — were arrested in connection with the attack.
Both appeared separately before Leeds Magistrates’ Court, where they were remanded into custody.
Their case has been transferred to Leeds Crown Court, with a preliminary trial date scheduled for May next year.
West Yorkshire Police confirmed they received a call from prison staff at 9:39 a.m. reporting a serious assault.
The Homicide and Major Enquiry Team is leading the investigation, and forensic work at the high-security Category A facility remains ongoing.
The Prison Service declined to provide further details while inquiries continue.
Watkins was no stranger to violence during his incarceration.
In August 2023, he was stabbed and held hostage for six hours by fellow inmates at the same facility, surviving that attack with non-life-threatening injuries.
Recent reports have highlighted a sharp rise in assaults at HMP Wakefield, known as “Monster Mansion” due to its population of dangerous and high-risk offenders.
Watkins’ original conviction followed a 2013 guilty plea to 13 charges related to child sexual abuse, including the attempted rape of a baby, encouraging a fan to abuse her child, and possessing extreme pornographic material.
His crimes, described by police as some of the most disturbing they had ever encountered, shocked the music industry and led to the disbanding of Lostprophets shortly after his arrest in 2012.
At sentencing, the judge labelled Watkins “manipulative, dangerous, and exploitative”.
His murder has reignited debate about prison safety and the responsibility of authorities to protect even the most reviled inmates from violence.
Legal experts note that the case represents a rare instance in which prisoners are charged with killing another inmate while in state custody.
The investigation is expected to continue in the coming weeks as the case moves toward full judicial scrutiny.
