Former Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins has died after being attacked in prison in the UK.
The paedophile rock star was serving a 29-year sentence for child sex offences.
He was attacked with a knife by another inmate on Saturday morning, sources have confirmed.
Emergency services were sent to Wakefield prison in West Yorkshire but Watkins was pronounced dead at the scene.
The prison went into lockdown in the immediate aftermath of the incident, sources added.
Watkins, 48, was jailed for 29 years in December 2013 with a further six years on licence, after admitting a string of sex offences – including the attempted rape of a fan’s baby.
The disgraced singer was arrested following the execution of a drugs warrant at his home in Pontypridd, Wales in September 2012 when a large number of computers, mobile phones and storage devices were seized.
Analysis of the equipment uncovered Watkins’ depraved behaviour.
A UK prison service spokesperson said: “We are aware of an incident at HMP Wakefield which took place this morning.
“We are unable to comment further while the police investigate.”
A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police said: “At 9.39am this morning, police were called by staff at HMP Wakefield reporting an assault on a prisoner.
“Emergency services attended and the man was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later.
“Detectives from the homicide and major inquiry team are investigating and inquiries remain ongoing at the scene.”
Watkins was previously taken to hospital after being attacked in 2023.
At the time, police said his injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.
And in 2019 he was jailed for 10 months on top of the sentence he was serving for child sex offences after he was found guilty of possessing a mobile phone in prison.
Watkins claimed two inmates forced him to hold on to the phone so they could contact women who sent him fan mail in order to use them as a “revenue stream”.
In his evidence, the defendant refused to name the men, but said: “You would not want to mess with them.”
He also said his fellow inmates were “murderers, mass murderers, rapists, paedophiles, serial killers – the worst of the worst”.
In 2014 Watkins was told he could not appeal against the length of his 29-year jail term.
Lawyers for Watkins claimed he should have his jail term cut because his last-minute guilty plea spared a jury from having to watch his home-made child pornography.
[ Former rock star jailed for 35 years for attempted rape of babyOpens in new window ]
However, the court of appeal, sitting in Cardiff, turned down his application for leave for an appeal, with presiding judge Lord Justice Pitchford saying: “These were offences against infant children of such shocking depravity that a very lengthy sentence of imprisonment was demanded.”
Watkins was given 14- and 15-year consecutive prison terms for engaging in sexual activity with a child and the attempted rape of an 11-month-old baby.
He was also convicted of 11 other offences – with those sentences running alongside his 29-year term. - PA
