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Disgraced Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins passed away after being attacked in the neck in an alleged prison attack, an inquest has learned.

Watkins, 48, died on 11 October after being targeted at HMP Wakefield, where he had been completing a 29-year prison sentence for child sex crimes including the attempted rape of a infant.

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

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

Coroner Findings

Medical Examiner Oliver Longstaff said Watkins, who was identified by his full name of Ian David Karslake Watkins during the short proceeding, had been pronounced dead at the West Yorkshire jail by an attending doctor and was formally recognized by a prison officer.

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

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

'Depths of Depravity'

In 2013 at Cardiff Crown Court, Watkins denied rape but confessed to 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, producing or holding indecent images of children and one of possessing an extreme image involving a sex act on an animal.

Legal authorities had portrayed him as a man influenced by fame, drugs, and power who had committed crimes "exceeding imagination."

Mr Justice Royce said the case had broken "new ground" and "plunged into new levels of wickedness".

Watkins was also stabbed in prison in 2023. Following 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 required to enter pleas.

Who Was Ian Watkins?

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

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

They separated promptly after Watkins was found guilty in 2013.

His previous bandmates spoke publicly about their shock and disgust.

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

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

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