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

Watkins, 48, succumbed on 11 October after being targeted at HMP Wakefield, where he had been completing a 29-year prison sentence for child sex offences including the sexual assault of a baby.

The inquest, opened earlier at Wakefield Coroner's Court, was postponed pending the conclusion of an related murder case.

Two individuals have been charged with murder in connection 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 proceeded.

Coroner Findings

Coroner Oliver Longstaff said Watkins, who was identified by his full name of Ian David Karslake Watkins during the brief hearing, had been declared deceased at the West Yorkshire jail by an attending doctor and was formally identified by a prison officer.

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

The examiner said a autopsy report gave the cause of death as an wound to the throat.

'Extreme Wickedness'

In 2013 at Cardiff Crown Court, Watkins refuted rape but admitted the sexual assault and abuse of a child under 13.

He pleaded guilty to 13 offences, including plotting to rape a child, three counts of abuse involving children, seven involving taking, producing or possessing inappropriate images of children and one of possessing an extreme image involving a sex act on an creature.

Prosecutors had portrayed him as a man corrupted by celebrity, substances, and power who had perpetrated crimes "beyond imagination."

Mr Justice Royce said the case had established "new ground" 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 life-threatening.

Rashid Gedel, 25, and Samuel Dodsworth, 43, appeared 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 frontman of the rock band Lostprophets.

The band formed in Pontypridd in 1997, and distributed 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 achievement 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 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 error, 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 bandmates and American singer Geoff Rickly created a new band, No Devotion, shortly thereafter.