Watkins was serving a 29-year prison sentence at HMP Wakefield in England.
ENGLAND, UK — Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins died in a United Kingdom prison Saturday, according to West Yorkshire Police. He was 48.
Two men, aged 25 and 43, were apprehended by police on suspicion of murder after they responded to a report of a “serious assault on a prisoner” at HMP Wakefield prison around 9:39 a.m. Authorities declared Watkins deceased at the location.
An investigation is ongoing and no motive is known at this time. No other details are available.
Watkins was serving a 29-year sentence at the HMP Wakefield facility in England, which commenced in 2013 following his guilty plea to 13 child sex offenses, as reported by Reuters.
The high-security prison, known to house some of the UK’s most dangerous criminals, is referred to as the “Monster Mansion” by the Wakefield Express. It accommodates approximately 600 inmates.
Two women received sentences of 14 and 17 years related to the charges, though their identities were withheld to protect their children, who were victims, according to the BBC.
Mr Justice John Royce said their actions “plunged into new depths of depravity” during sentencing.
Watkins faced another attack during 2023, where he was “repeatedly stabbed and beaten” by fellow inmates who held him hostage for six hours, as stated by The Rolling Stone.
He served as the leading man of Lostprophets, a rock band which formed in 1997 and disbanded after his 2012 arrest.
The band, best known for hits like ‘Last Train Home,’ sold over 3 million albums globally, according to The Rolling Stone.
Although Watkins faced severe legal charges, the band’s music still enjoys a significant following, with 280,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. The group released their last album, “Weapons,” in 2012.
