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Shamed Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins passed away after being attacked in the throat in an alleged prison attack, an investigation 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 offences 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 case.

Two men have been accused with murder in relation to Watkins' death while two other men, aged 23 and 39, detained earlier this week on allegation of plot to murder were sent back to prison as investigations continued.

Coroner Statement

Medical Examiner Oliver Longstaff said Watkins, who was identified by his full name of Ian David Karslake Watkins during the brief proceeding, had been declared deceased at the West Yorkshire jail by an attending doctor and was officially identified by a prison guard.

Mr Longstaff said emergency services were summoned to the jail "after a report he had been attacked in the neck".

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

'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 pleaded guilty to 13 offences, including conspiring to rape a child, three counts of abuse involving children, seven involving taking, producing or possessing indecent images of children and one of having an shocking image involving a sex act on an creature.

Legal authorities had portrayed him as a man influenced by celebrity, drugs, and power who had perpetrated crimes "beyond imagination."

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

Watkins was also stabbed in prison in 2023. After that incident, he was taken to hospital with injuries which were not life-threatening.

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

Background of Ian Watkins?

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Watkins was formerly one of Wales' most recognisable musicians - the frontman of the rock band Lostprophets.

The band started in Pontypridd in 1997, and distributed millions of albums across the world.

They released five studio albums, one of which reached number one in the UK.

The group also had some success in the US, with their second and third albums attaining the popular charts.

They separated promptly after Watkins was convicted in 2013.

His former group members spoke openly about their surprise and revulsion.

Bassist Stuart Richardson said in 2014: "Even though I was completely done with him, I hoped it was all a mistake, he was not guilty, he had to be.

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

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