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Disgraced Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins died after being stabbed in the neck in an reported prison incident, an inquest has learned.

Watkins, 48, succumbed on 11 October after being assaulted at HMP Wakefield, where he had been completing a 29-year jail sentence for child sex crimes including the attempted rape of a baby.

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

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

Coroner Statement

Coroner 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 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 attacked in the neck".

The examiner said a autopsy report gave the cause of death as an wound 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 creating, making or holding inappropriate images of children and one of having an extreme image involving a sex act on an creature.

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

Mr Justice Royce said the case had broken "unprecedented territory" and "descended into new levels of wickedness".

Watkins was also attacked in prison in 2023. After that attack, he was taken to medical facility with injuries which were not fatal.

Rashid Gedel, 25, and Samuel Dodsworth, 43, were presented in court last week accused with his murder, but were not required to enter pleas.

Background of Ian Watkins?

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

The band started in Pontypridd in 1997, and sold millions of albums across 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 separated immediately after Watkins was found guilty in 2013.

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

Bassist Stuart Richardson said in 2014: "Although 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 finished. You can't go back from that."

The remaining members and American singer Geoff Rickly formed a new band, No Devotion, soon after.