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Disgraced Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins died after being stabbed in the throat in an alleged 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 prison sentence for child sex offences including the attempted rape of a baby.

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

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

Coroner Statement

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

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

The coroner said a autopsy report gave the cause of death as an wound to the neck.

'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 admitted 13 offences, including conspiring to rape a child, three counts of sexual assault involving children, seven involving taking, producing or holding indecent images of children and one of having an extreme image involving a sex act on an animal.

Legal authorities had described him as a man influenced by fame, substances, and power who had committed crimes "beyond imagination."

Mr Justice Royce said the case had established "new ground" and "plunged into new depths of depravity".

Watkins was also stabbed in prison in 2023. Following that attack, he was taken to hospital with injuries which were not fatal.

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

Who Was Ian Watkins?

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Watkins was once one of Wales' most famous musicians - 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 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 disbanded immediately after Watkins was found guilty in 2013.

His former bandmates spoke openly about their shock and revulsion.

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

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

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